Refusing to "talk to a player about an issue through
the press," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said Friday he
will sit down with Tiger Woods "after the season" to discuss
Woods' criticism of the Tour, according to Stephen Wade of
the AP. Speaking in Spain at the AmEx WGC, Finchem said
there would not be a meeting with Woods this week: "There
are issues, apparently, that we need to sit down and talk
about" (AP, 11/11). ESPN's Mike Greenberg reported that "it
appeared [Woods] was growing tired" of questions about his
criticism of the PGA Tour at the WGC event in Spain. Woods:
"[The dispute] is between the Tour and myself. That's it.
We'll see. [We are] going to have a meeting. I don't know
when. I have a lot more other things important right now to
take care of, which is try to win [the WGC]"
("SportsCenter," 11/10). On FSN last night, Keith Olbermann
said, "A series of well-placed, highly informed sources in
golf say that when Tiger Woods meets with [Finchem],
probably next week, Woods will tell him straight-forwardly
that if there are not major revisions coming in the way all
PGA players are paid, he, Tiger, will literally take his
ball and go home -- start some sort of new circuit on his
own, join some sort of international outfit" (FSN, 11/12).
TAKING SIDES ON TIGER: John Feinstein said that while
Woods "could go anywhere he wants" to play golf, "I don't
think Tiger Woods ... wants to go live overseas for 20 to 25
weeks a year. ... I do see him using the fact that
professionally speaking, he could pull that off as leverage
in negotiations with the Tour" ("Last Word," FSN, 11/10). In
N.Y., Dave Anderson wrote Woods "wants more respect from the
PGA Tour, but he's not showing it the respect it deserves."
Anderson: "If Tiger Woods were to play mostly in Europe or
Japan, he wouldn't be the same Tiger Woods. ... Woods can't
be a golfer without a country" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/12). In
Cincinnati, Tim Sullivan: "If Woods decides to take his
clubs and go home ... the PGA could be paralyzed. ... He
transcends the sport. His problems, therefore, deserve
priority" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/11). In SC, Bob
Gillespie: "If Finchem is smart, he'll pay attention to
those tremors right now. .... Tour vs. Tiger? My money, as
it is in most tournaments, is on Woods" (Columbia STATE,
11/10). In Phoenix, Pedro Gomez: "If [Tiger] wants more
love and cash, give it to him. Without Tiger, the PGA Tour
would be as boring as the NBA" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 11/11).
In Orlando, Jerry Greene asked, "How much will your next TV
contract be worth without Tiger, Tim? ... Tim, give Tiger
want he wants -- before he takes it" (ORLANDO SENTINEL,
11/11). In Ft. Lauderdale, Randall Mell wrote that Finchem's
legacy "will ride on how he handles Woods. ... If Finchem
mishandles Woods, he won't walk away unscathed. He could go
down in flames" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 11/12).
WHAT MIGHT BE DONE? In San Jose, Mark Purdy wrote
Woods' comments about the Tour were "brutally honest. ...
We're not exactly sure what he wants. But whatever it is,
he'll get it" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 11/12). In Denver,
Bernie Lincicome wrote that Woods' complaints are "petty but
reasonable" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 11/12). GOLFWEEK's Jeff
Rude wrote that the PGA Tour "needs to get creative and
think outside the box. Woods called the tour a 'monopoly'
and he's not far off. The Tour can be a bit too socialistic.
It is a megabroker between players and tournament sponsors."
One of Woods' "worthy complaints involves media rights fees.
... The Tour would be wise to waive such fees for Woods and
other superstars ... who have brought millions to the Tour"
(GOLFWEEK, 11/10). Interviewed on "The Keith Olbermann
Evening News," longtime golf attorney Leonard Decof said,
"Woods has the opportunity, because of his position, to do
something that no one else has done. ... He could help
change the PGA Tour from inside, which would be much better
than having an attack from the outside. ... This thing could
be resolved so that we would have some modifications in the
PGA Tour, which would give the players more insight and the
tour less control over the players" (FSN, 11/12).
THE ANTI-TIGER SENTIMENT IS OUT THERE: In St. Louis,
Dan O'Neill wrote that Woods should have aired his
complaints in a "less pretentious, less whiny way" (ST.
LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/12). In Montreal, Jack Todd: "Let's
just say we've seen some spoiled brats in our time, but
Woods may be the king" (GAZETTE, 11/13). In Cleveland, Bill
Livingston: "For years, people in golf thought the best
thing that could happen would be to have another dominant
player. Now they have one who's bigger than the Tour. Be
careful what you ask for" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/10).
