Thursday, January 24, 2008
Moral Octuple Standard
No one has done what Jim Brown has done.
Hall-of-Fame NFL legend. Civil-rights activist. Racial barrier smasher. Movie star.
The racial obstacles he had to overcome are unimaginable for athletes today. His life 's accomplishments are a wellspring of inspiration.
The guy has gone into the scariest neighborhoods in America and rescued African-American kids from gangs.
There is greatness about him.
I even cried when he died in The Dirty Dozen.
But it's time for him to shut up.
At least when it comes to dictating the moral duties of star athletes.
Specifically, Tiger Woods.
Here's the thing, Mr. Brown —
Tiger Woods is not you.
He's not as angry as you are.
He's not as prone to violence as you are.
He's never had trouble acknowledging his offspring.
As far as we know, Tiger has never threatened to snap his wife's neck.
We're pretty sure Tiger hasn't smashed the windshield of his wife's car — with her in it.
We're almost positive that Tiger didn't jump into the spotlight as Maurice Clarett's advisor and then disappear once the kid really could've used some help.
Of course Tiger Woods isn't perfect. Just like you, Jim, are not perfect.
Tiger seems to be a world-class grudge-holder (Is he part Irish!?!?), a bit of a control nut and he is way too successful for anyone to truly like. But all he has done is revolutionize his sport and handle the daily crushing pressure and expectations with (mostly) grace and a prickly sense of humor.
So Kelly Tighlman — someone none of us had ever known existed prior to this — said something idiotic, insensitive and reprehensible: that young players on the PGA Tour would "have to lynch him (Tiger Woods) in a back alley" to keep him from winning.
She's a moron. We all understand that. Most of all, Tiger Woods.
Tiger Woods said that it was not the brightest thing Tighlman ever said but he considered it a "non-issue", that he and Tighlman are friends and that was that.
That pissed Jim Brown off.
Evidently, Tiger is not allowed to be mildly offended.
Evidently because Tiger isn't an opportunistic, hypocritical Jacksonian, Sharptonian flame-fanner, Jim Brown is heartily offended.
Well, I'm wildly offended that Jim Brown is heartily offended that Tiger Woods isn't more offended.
See, nobody's perfect.
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