Tiger Woods called a "Cavalier with the rules"

Tiger Woods has been called a cheat by one of American television’s most respected golf commentators. In an explosive article in the US magazine Golf, former PGA Tour professional and Golf Channel lead analyst Brandel Chamblee has tarred the world number one with the worst label possible.
It seems inevitable Woods will take legal action, for how can he let such an allegation go unchallenged in this, of all sports?

Woods won five times on the PGA Tour and was named Player of the Year by his peers. But he was also involved in no fewer than four rules controversies, and it clearly incensed Chamblee.
Calling Tiger ‘cavalier with the rules,’ the 51 year old American gave exam grades in the magazine article to each of the leading players and awarded Woods an ‘F.’ He then embarked on an analogy that left no room for doubt as to why the grade was so dismal.

‘When I was in the fourth grade I cheated on a maths test and when I got the paper back it had “100” written at the top and just below the grade was this quote: ‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!”
‘It was an oft-quoted line from the epic poem “Marmion” by Sir Walter Scott, and my teacher’s message was clear. Written once more beneath that quote was my grade of “100” but this time with a line drawn through it and beneath that an F.
'I never did ask my teacher how she knew I cheated and I certainly didn’t protest the grade. I knew I had done the wrong thing and I never forgot the way I felt.’ Drawing a line through a score of 100 and giving Woods an F, Chamblee concluded: ‘I remember when we only talked about Tiger’s golf.
'I miss those days. He won five times and contended in majors and won the Vardon Trophy and....how shall we say this....was a little cavalier with the rules.’
Woods has caused plenty of muttering behind hands with his rules issues but Chamblee is the first to declare he cheated. It is certainly a brave call given the power Woods holds, and the storm that will assuredly follow.
Chamblee might not be the biggest name on the golf analyst circuit but he is certainly among the most forthright and knowledgeable

Woods’s rules woes began at the Abu Dhabi Championship in January, where he was given a two shot penalty for taking an illegal drop.
By far the worst came at the Masters, where he again took an illegal drop after his approach to the 15th in the second round cannoned unluckily off the flag stick into a water hazard. Woods duly signed for an incorrect scorecard when he was subsequently assessed a two stroke penalty.
Disqualification ought to have followed, only for the Masters rules committee to come up with a tortuous explanation as to why ‘exceptional’ circumstances applied. Even so, when he realised he had broken the rules, Woods should have disqualified himself. Instead, he played on.

A month later, he allegedly gave himself another favourable drop at the Players Championship. Finally, at the BMW Championship in Chicago last month, he argued vehemently against a two shot penalty being assessed for causing his ball to move while lifting a twig, even though television evidence appeared damning.
Now Chamblee has reached the gravest conclusion. We haven’t heard the last of this.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2465974/Tiger-Woods-labelled-cheat-pro-commentator-Brandel-Chamblee.html#ixzz2i75VRvS8
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Why does it seem "inevitable Woods will take legal action"?

None of this rhetoric is new, though perhaps Chamblee is the first to aggregate it in such forthright terms.

All of these allegations, summaries of the facts really, have been described before and doubtless will continue to be discussed. Perhaps Woods will diss Golf Channel in which case they'll just get Kelly Tilghman to apply those charms which only Tiger finds attractive.

The only incendiary thing Chamblee has done is to give Woods an "F" grade which he probably did just to draw attention to himself. Daft, but not litigious.

Has anyone got any proof that tiger has had more inaccuracies than any other pro when it comes to the rules?

It is nothing more than the cameras recording his every move and therefore picking up every little detail of his play.

When was the last time we saw a frame by frame reconstruction with a trig table in hand to check if DA Points or Martin Lairds had dropped with a six sigma degree of accuracy?

I don't quite buy that these days Mac. Yes Tiger gets a lot of focus but these days he's not the only one. When guys like Scott, McIlroy, Mickleson are in the field their every move is covered also. Even if not quite to the same degree as Woods, considering the number if rules 'discussions' he gets into it's not proportional with coverage. So yes there is the proof there that he gets involved in these things more than most

I can think of a word beginning with C and ending with T which describes Nine Chins, and it isn't CHEAT

I think Tiger Woods missed a golden opportunity at Augusta when he could have gone some way to redeem himself to the anti-Tiger Woods fan club.  When offered the 'out of jail' card, he should've have declined and disqualified himself.  As it is, he took full advantage of official bumbling and, in my view, gave me a further reason to dislike him.

Gael

Only the typical club golfer would value such an act, and why would anyone pander to that demographic?

Mac ... dear ... there is nothing "typical" about me! 

So then, you think professionals shouldn't play the game with integrity?

I believe diving is an art.

Answer the question Mac.

I don't buy the scrutiny bit; that comes with the territory of being:
~The best golfer
~The richest golfer
~The iconic brand and, sadly nowadays,
~The one most likely to transgress.

He won't easily give up the first three and, just perhaps, the fourth is circumstantial evidence of the lengths he'll go to stay there.

And, remember, the spat with Sergio wasn't even mentioned.

Gael

I did answer the question. Cheating is an art.


Kwini

Tiger employed perfect match mind games against sergio. Surely his mastery of the finder arts of the game should be admired?

I can't see a single thing to admire about Woods.

super_realist wrote:I can't see a single thing to admire about Woods.

what about his phenomenal records, the wonder-shots he has pulled off- you don't think any of that is worthy of admiration?

A lot of people on here, and elsewhere are using these rules infractions as a stick to beat Tiger with. Maybe it's because he is so successful, or maybe it's because of the way he lived his private life. It's not for me to say, but he's certainly being vilified - and the strange thing is, a lot of the people who are doing the criticising don't understand the rules well enough to know why (for example) the drop at Augusta was wrong.

As for this Chamblee bloke, I can only assume he's trying to make the name for himself that he didn't manage as a player.

gaelgowfer wrote:I think Tiger Woods missed a golden opportunity at Augusta when he could have gone some way to redeem himself to the anti-Tiger Woods fan club.  When offered the 'out of jail' card, he should've have declined and disqualified himself.  As it is, he took full advantage of official bumbling and, in my view, gave me a further reason to dislike him.

Pretty much spot on Gael.

I had always proclaimed neutrality with regard to Woods, wasn't a fan, didn't detest him either but this season, no he has definitely tarnished himself beyond repair in my eyes, I effin detest cheating and that sort of behaviour totally lacking in honesty and integrity. The Masters incident was bad enough, then there was the moving ball incident. when he claimed the ball only "oscillated". He was presented with the video evidence that it had actually MOVED not merely oscillated and he STILL wanted to argue the point....completely self absorbed and delusional. Whilst some shotmaking brilliance may still be there, ultimately the brand is now tarnished in my eyes.

George

He is a black guy in a very white world. Has the hate ever been based on anything more?

Oh for goodness sake Mac, a cheat is a cheat regardless of whether he's black, white, pink or green.

As a golfer and a golf fan what he did off course was of no concern to me whatsoever....when he brings cheating on course though that's a whole different matter.

McLaren wrote:George

He is a black guy in a very white world.  Has the hate ever been based on anything more?

"Very white"?  When was the last time you visited London?

JAS ... all began (at a public level anyway) with yon boulder incident when he got the fans to move it out of the way.  He didn't break the rules but he sure pi$$ed all over the integrity of the game that day.

Tiger needs to be careful, Nike will overlook all sorts of personal indiscretions but they have a zero tolerance policy for "ambassadors" who cheat at their sport a la Lance Armstrong. Any more of these rules incidents and I fear it will be Eldrick for the high road.

McLaren wrote:Gael

I did answer the question.  Cheating is an art.


Kwini

Tiger employed perfect match mind games against sergio.  Surely his mastery of the finder arts of the game should be admired?

Thus speaks a paragon of modern society. Cheating is not an 'art' - it's cheating, pure and simple. Armstrong was a cheat - admire that piece of merde do you? Actually, you probably do. For someone who bangs on, typically, from a socialist agenda, your admiration of cheating is a bid weird to say the least.

As for the charge by Chamblee, the man's an arse. As for 'one of the most respected golf commentators', again, he's an arse. George is spot on - he's trying (badly) to make the name for himself in the booth that he never did in the pro ranks.

I'm no Woods fan but the Abu Dhabi could be anyone. The Masters would have been fantastic if he'd said 'Thanks, but I'm quitting anyway' but given the lifeline, I can cut him the slack. At the TPC, he asked his playing partner(s) and they were agreed on where the drop should be - they didn't have access to aerial camera shots or video slo-mo replays in deciding where his ball had crossed the hazard. The last one is the most stupid in my book - I watched the video a number of times and if the ball moved (I think it did), it was a tiny amount but to argue the toss after seeing the tape was dumb.

Before this, Woods' acts were only really talk amongst the pros and geek fans of the game. Now, it's the talk of sports in general. I think Chamblee ought not to be surprised if Woods' lawyers do decide to present him with a legal writ. Calling Woods an out and out cheat assumes malice aforethought and there's no way Chamblee can know that from what we've seen so far. If he gets sued, I don't see how he can possibly defend his position.

Gael

As in, golf is a very white world.

NBS - I don't know if you follow a lot of the players, and more importantly, the journos on twitter, but Chamblee comes over as far from the worst of the American bloggers and commentators. I don't much like the whole bunch but he is far from the worst. I don't see this as a case of someone just trying to make a name for himself - I think he has thought long and hard before making this case and I applaud him for it.


Very much as JAS said, I didn't really worry too much about his off course antics. I was a big Tiger fan back in the days before these various on course antics - I don't really care about his private life but once it leaks onto the course and into the TV viewers eyes, then yes, I care very much about it. Colour has nothing to do with it - and I'd love to know what a "yon boulder" is

"yon boulder"?
Think it's Scottish for an effing great boulder from the Phoenix desert that inconveniently stood in the way of Tiger's ball and the green . . . . . until half a dozen sycophantic Phoenicians shifted it out of the way and facilitated a free Tiger shot.
All about fifteen years ago though, and before Tiger eliminated Phoenix from his schedule - and, no Mac, they weren't all black spectators who helped Eldrick.

Chamblee has a long and significant history of hating all things Tiger. He's certainly entitled to his opinion and is the master of the back handed compliment. Totally trying to stay in the spotlight, IMO.

McLaren wrote:George

He is a black guy in a very white world.  Has the hate ever been based on anything more?

Mac,

Nine Chins may not be white ethincally, but figuratively he's one of the whitest players on tour.

And you don't have to look hard for something to dislike him. Being a general all round four letter c word is enough.

Davie wrote:NBS - I don't know if you follow a lot of the players, and more importantly, the journos on twitter, but Chamblee comes over as far from the worst of the American bloggers and commentators. I don't much like the whole bunch but he is far from the worst. I don't see this as a case of someone just trying to make a name for himself - I think he has thought long and hard before making this case and I applaud him for it.


Very much as JAS said, I didn't really worry too much about his off course antics. I was a big Tiger fan back in the days before these various on course antics - I don't really care about his private life but once it leaks onto the course and into the TV viewers eyes, then yes, I care very much about it. Colour has nothing to do with it - and I'd love to know what a "yon boulder" is

Chamblee's a berk. He doesn't even understand the basics of, say, ball flight laws and when he's called out about it he simply blocks those who actually do know what they're talking about from his Twitter feed. He'd be better off as one of those horrendous 'shock jocks' on some pants radio station they seem to love so much in the U.S. Maybe he's not the worst over there but that doesn't say much for the competition now does it?
I don't think what he's done shows that he's thought long and hard...or if he has, it simply shows what a berk he is. I can't believe the GC lawyers didn't have sight of this, so either they know something we don't or they're just as dumb. If Woods' lawyers serve a writ, I can't see how Chamblee can do anything but lose.

As I said before, I've never really been a fan of Woods but this is just pathetic. Plenty of players have taken an incorrect drop and been penalised for it but somehow when it's Woods, it's cheating. The TPC was a nonsense - Woods' playing partners agreed/told him where he should take a drop. Augusta was the spineless officials in the main. The only one I have a slight problem with is the ball moving when he was trying to get twigs out from near it - he should have just accepted it once he saw the video.

I'd agree with the drops Navy, but the ball moving was clear to see, and would have been even easier to feel, no chance he didn't notice it.

That was "indirect" cheating as he didn't call a penalty on himself.

I read on the internet the other day that some other know nothing thinks Tigers a cheating so-and-so. I reckon if this gets out it could well be the end of TW career. And he has lost the respect of over a dozen fans. Apparently his PR department are going to put a press release to counter these outrageous allegations. It'll be something along the lines of 'who?'

Kim Hyung-tae also seems to have been under a bit of scrutiny

super_realist wrote:I'd agree with the drops Navy, but the ball moving was clear to see, and would have been even easier to feel, no chance he didn't notice it.

That was "indirect" cheating as he didn't call a penalty on himself.

I'd disagree with that. The movement was minute and I don't see that he'd necessarily feel it either. In any case, that only makes one (arguable) issue and suddenly we have a scheiss-storm and Woods is a de facto cheat? I don't buy it, much as I don't really like him.
Winning is clearly his raison d'etre (unlike so many of his peers who seem happy simply to be rolling in the relatively easy money to be had on Tour) so, while his boulder incident and that at Augusta is maybe a bit of a cheek, I don't think those incidents can be included in a 'Woods is a cheat' accusation.

So we're left with what? The ball moving slightly and him not calling a penalty? One incident??? Really??? I think a lot more is needed before that mud is going to stick. The ball moving is not even as bad as, say, Monty replacing his ball after a storm in a more favourable lie/position than it was before play was suspended at that event.

I don't think he's a defacto cheat. I think he broke the rules.

He's guilty of not knowing the rules, not having much integrity or humility, and being stupid enough to think that his every move isn't monitored.

His ball moving was clear, was he texting or something at the time?

Watch the video. It moves a minute amount - I watched it several times to be sure.

You may not think he's a cheat, but that's what Chamblee is calling him. Chamblee really ought to be toast but we'll see I guess.

But it's not just one incident is it? Maybe you are prepared to overlook the other events, but not everyone is

Yes, it is one incident. Please explain what else he's done (which isn't a pretty everyday occurrence for other players on Tour) which is in direct contradiction of the rules and is a clear as day infraction.

navyblueshorts wrote:Watch the video. It moves a minute amount - I watched it several times to be sure.

You may not think he's a cheat, but that's what Chamblee is calling him. Chamblee really ought to be toast but we'll see I guess.

Why is he toast? Because he dared to offer an opinion?

Yeah but it isn't one incident though Navy, not sure why you'd want to discount the Augusta drop incident. Ok the word cheat may be a bit ott but I do find it more than a little odd that the best player in the game, who's been steeped in it since childhood, is so naively unaware of many of the more basic rules of the game. I get the fact that winning is his raison d'etre which is fine but he HAS to balance that against his perceived integrity and respect for the rules and etiquette in the game. He is a defacto ambassador for the game and so must take greater care in putting himself above any suspicion of cheating or rule breaking.

Top professionals in any sport caught cheating, ultimately damage not only their own reputations but they also damage the image of their sport.....cycling, weightlifting?? Then there's football and "simulation" Some might call that an art but NO its cheating.

But does it matter? Thats the point I think - the rules officials sort all that stuff out. It's armchair pundits who it matters to most I would think. Those that dislike him already are happy to jump up and say it's the worst thing ever to happen, while the rest go wotevs (as the kids like to say)

Imagine if a footballer continually handled it or was always off side.
Do you think they'd get away with saying " I don't know the rules, I let the ref sort it out"

super_realist wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Watch the video. It moves a minute amount - I watched it several times to be sure.

You may not think he's a cheat, but that's what Chamblee is calling him. Chamblee really ought to be toast but we'll see I guess.

Why is he toast? Because he dared to offer an opinion?

Just because someone gives an opinion, it doesn't make them immune to legal challenge. He's called Woods a cheat w/o being able to prove it. A difficult charge to prove I'll admit but then he should have thought of that shouldn't he?
Anyway, it's all a moot point unless and until Woods takes any action.

No, it doesn't but it would make a claim an act of petulance and pedantry and a symptom of synthetic offence.

I don't expect Nine Chins to make a claim because to his credit, he tends to brush such things under the carpet or ignore him.

Good Article, although i disagree with your contention that the Masters drop was "by far the worst".  In fact i think the other 3 were worse, with the way he behaved at the BMW - even flying in the face of obvious TV footage - being the worst.
 
While the way Chamblee wrote the article is a bit smug & smarmy, i agree with the maim thrust of what he says.
 
Woods appears to have an arrogance on the course when he hits it in trouble - im not sure i can remember when i last saw him call a rules official over to help. It's just his character - he feels he's in charge, he knows best, he doesn't need a rules guy.
 
I think the Masters was the least bad in that i don't think he took an illegal drop deliberately - it was a case where a rules official was not needed - i think the way his mind works, he was only thinking about the angle for his 5th shot ahead of the rules - his interview afterwards proved this when he explained what he did with his drop.

So Tiger has at most 3 or 4 rulings in a 20 year career which may under the microscope of frame by frame HD tv have been almost dubious?

Yep, that sure makes him a more frequent offender than the rest of the tour... :picard:

JAS wrote:Yeah but it isn't one incident though Navy, not sure why you'd want to discount the Augusta drop incident. Ok the word cheat may be a bit ott but I do find it more than a little odd that the best player in the game, who's been steeped in it since childhood, is so naively unaware of many of the more basic rules of the game. I get the fact that winning is his raison d'etre which is fine but he HAS to balance that against his perceived integrity and respect for the rules and etiquette in the game. He is a defacto ambassador for the game and so must take greater care in putting himself above any suspicion of cheating or rule breaking.

Top professionals in any sport caught cheating, ultimately damage not only their own reputations but they also damage the image of their sport.....cycling, weightlifting?? Then there's football and "simulation" Some might call that an art but NO its cheating.

Augusta shot themselves in the foot and took it out of Woods' hands though didn't they? He could have Dq'd himself whatever (which I would have applauded and think he should have done) but I don't see why that incident should be used, at all, to justify Chamblee's claim that Woods is a cheat.
Woods isn't an ambassador or role model for anything. He's a pro sportsman. Why we (or anyone for that matter) think a pro sportsman should be an ambassador/role model is increasingly beyond me. In gaining (and retaining) his Tour card, is there anything explicit (and legally binding) re. being an ambassador which he's signed up to?

I'd say if Nine Chins had had at least one example a la Brian Davis who called a penalty on himself when in contention then he'd be given a bit more respect for his other rules infringements.

He does like to be the pantomime villain it seems.

Agree re., role models though, a preposterous thing to apply to any sportsmen, but especially Nine Chins who even rules infringements apart has nothing in his character that I'd like to see anyone emulate.

JAS wrote:...Then there's football and "simulation" Some might call that an art but NO its cheating.

Forgot to address this. Diving in football is a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules. It's cheating. Where's the proof that Woods deliberately played fast and loose with the rules?

navyblueshorts wrote:

JAS wrote:...Then there's football and "simulation" Some might call that an art but NO its cheating.

Forgot to address this. Diving in football is a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules. It's cheating. Where's the proof that Woods deliberately played fast and loose with the rules?

eh, by pretending the ball didn't move?

super_realist wrote:I'd say if Nine Chins had had at least one example a la Brian Davis who called a penalty on himself when in contention then he'd be given a bit more respect for his other rules infringements.

He does like to be the pantomime villain it seems.

Why?

I would argue Brian Davies would have a little more respect if he had ever been any good. He should have ignored whatever it was he thought he clipped and tried to win.