Yoders' Live Blog - Tiger's News Conference

The world will stop at 11 AM this morning where Tiger Woods holds a "news conference" without any questions. And what better occasion for the return of the live blog! He'll make a statement into a camera and not take any questions. We'll try and pick out the important messages of Woods' statement and translate Tiger. Will Elin be absent? Will fellow golfers be there? Will Tiger actually show remorse and emotion? Are the rumors true about Michael Jordan showing up?!? Everything you need to know about El Tigre's return to the public light live at RSS!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Y2: It was a very uneven statement, at times contrite and somewhat human, other times robotic, other times angry and indignant that his wall of privacy has been broken. But, the big question out of this is will Tiger ever be the same golfer he was before? After 45+ days of rehab... maybe missing the Masters... can he ever be the same? For the first time his surpassing of Nicklaus isn't a sure thing.

Y1: I was surprised that Tiger addressed the 9 iron rumors, the Accenture tournament, his behavior on the course, and the sex rehab. Tiger was surprisingly open and apologized to a number of different people. He appeared to open up, even talking about his spirituality. He did apologize directly to the fans. But, we still saw flashes of the old Tiger - the coldness, still holding onto what's left of his privacy, attacking the media, etc. It doesn't look like Tiger is ready to come back to golf any time soon. The Masters better prepare for life without Tiger.

I'm not surprised at the tears and glowing nature of the postgame reports on the sports networks. They need Tiger back at the top as much as anyone, and unbiased journalism is dying across the country anyways. It was a B- from Tiger. He said what he needed to say and was more open about his past. As he said, he will be judged by his behavior going forward. The Tiger Woods comeback is just beginning and will dominate the sports landscape in 2010. I wonder what Brett Favre will do to reclaim the spotlight...

POSTGAME

11:27 - Good Lord! Now Hannah Storm looks like she's tearing up on the air! What the F*&^ is going on here?? "Such a touching moment after... the embrace" as he hugs his mother. He's not dying of cancer people, he ran into a fire hydrant and got caught banging porn stars!

11:25 - Brandel Chamblee on Golf Channel saying we can expect Tiger on the course within 3-4 months and that Tom Watson's comments of etiquette hit home. Golf Channel not surprisingly calling it a "home run." Would you expect the Golf Channel to criticize Tiger Woods? Would ESPN criticize Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer?

11:24 - Broadcast networks off the air. Fox showing some replays talking about a difference of opinions regarding the statement. Not surprsingly, Fox straight shooting here, they're fair and balanced, right?

11:20 - Some egghead on MSNBC talking about Tiger taking his time during the press conference and coming off sincere. Jim Gray also slurping up what we just heard on Golf Channel. We've heard reports of someone crying on the Golf Channel as well, that'd be hilarious.

11:17 - Andy North saying it's not different than what we expected. Reilly says it was really from the heart (I guess he didn't see the ice cold stares and defensiveness). David Feherty on CBS thinks that Tiger & Elin will reconcile and talks about underestimating Tiger Woods as an "extraordinary human being." Ummm... no.

NEWS CONFERNCE

11:15 - "I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again." A sniff as he leaves the podium and hugs his mother. An awkward silence in the room. And that's a wrap! A ton of interesting dynamics here.

11:13 - This is really interesting, Tiger now talking about his Buddhist beliefs. OK, maybe this is a new Tiger after all. "Starting tomorrow I will leave for more treatment and more therapy." Thanks the players and Accenture for understanding of the timing. Talks about needing to regaining spiritual balance and relying on others for help.

"I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game." Folks, that's what golfers and golf fans needed to hear, but it doesn't sound like Tiger is coming back anytime soon.

11:11 - Tiger, now is not the time to attack the media and sound like a victim! "Please leave my wife and kids alone!" Wow!

11:09 - Surprised he has said "sorry" so much, would've lost that prop bet. Says he's been in rehab for 45 days and he has a "long way to go." Marriage issues are between Elin and he... so it looks like Tiger will return to his shell when this is over? Although he is trying to sound remorseful, it looks like the same old Tiger...

11:08 - Y2: He looks so uncomfortable... voice going up and down... looking to and from the camera, awkward pauses, he looks like Colin Montgomerie trying to win a major.

11:07 - He does sound contrite and apologetic so far, but doesn't this sound a little intense and stern for an apology? Still hasn't spoken directly to the fans yet.

11:05 - Whoa! Going right into the rumors of domestic violence! And now sounding angry about those rumors! This is coming out of nowhere, and an icy stare into the camera like it's Phil Mickelson!

11:04 - Talking about business partners, sponsors, etc. at the moment. Sounds like a State of the Union address at the moment! "Let you down" leading the word count by the second.

11:03 - "Elin and I have started discussing the damage caused by my behavior" - looks like the marriage may be getting back together. Again going out of the way to keep privacy.

11:02 - It's go time! Sadly, no scars from a 9 iron to the head

11:00 - How 'bout some prop bets on the verge of the most infamous statement in sports history!

UNDER Tiger saying sorry 5.5 times

3/2 Tiger says "family" the most

EVEN Tiger doesn't announce his specific return date

-260 Tiger doesn't wipe a tear

PREGAME

10:58 - Andy North commenting on American society. Talking about Tiger's statement making more news than stuff that really matters. As we have a PIP showing Tiger's presidential podium currently on ESPN. This might be the most exciting and bizarre live blog in the history of Randall Simon's Sausages.

10:55 - Finally we see the timeline on ESPN. CNN covering Lysacek v Plushenko (we'll talk Olympics this weekend), MSNBC and Fox with talking heads, nothing yet from broadcast networks

10:52 - Funny that only now are we hearing criticism of Woods' on-course antics, which trouble greats of the game (like Tom Watson who recently spoke out) more than anything. His swearing and club throwing disrespect the history of the game, but nobody noticed before. That will be one thing to watch if and when Tiger comes back. Y2: If fans heckle Tiger will they throw condoms at him ala the syringes at Barry Bonds? Will we finally see Steve Williams go Brock Lesnar on a patron??

10:50 - I think CNN has a guy reporting at a Damon's

10:48 - College Gameday commercial - honestly, outside of John Wall and UK, what has happened this college bball season? Has this not been one of the most underwhelming bball seasons in a long time? At least the regular season will mean more with a 457 team tournament.

10:45 - Colleen Dominguez at the Accenture Match Play, wait there's golf tournaments going on? Our other least favorite sports journalist Colin Cowherd now talking about whether or not Tiger will cry. "Because he's educated, educated people tend to be more educated than Cooter (mocking redneck voice)... educated people look inside." So Tiger will cry because he's an intellectual?? Great analysis. This is why I'm boycotting this moron like the Golf Writers Association of America. You know, if Tiger is so educated... why sleep around and cost yourself millions of dollars and your position as the most popular athlete on the planet?? Oh yea, sorry, that's actually using my brain to analyze things...

10:40 - Checking in on the major cable news networks...

CNN - Student shot at NIU, Tiger's apology among top stories

MSNBC - Is Rush Limbaugh the leader of the GOP? (For the liberal network, MSNBC's love affair with Rush Limbaugh is bizarre, he appears more on their network than Keith Olbermann)

Fox - Live on the scene at Sawgrass

*Evidently all 3 broadcast networks will also break into programming with the news conference

10:36 - Interesting that we are hearing Tiger Woods is still in "rehab" and not "sex rehab." It's a big difference in the public light to leave out . Steve Philips was in sex rehab and he's universally thought of as a sleazy creep. But is sex rehab more seemly or more sympathetic than alcohol or drug rehab? Will the public see it as a man fighting a true addiction, or a guy who got caught sleeping around and wants to protect his image? Coming back from sex rehab is not a bridge the sports world has crossed before.

10:34 - Is Rick Reilly trying out for The Marriage Ref now? Save the marriage advice for the professionals... like Alec Baldwin and Jerry Seinfeld!

10:32 - The unofficial 1/2 hour pregame starts with... Rick Reilly, great. I read Reilly's "column" on curling this past week. If anyone is mailing it in for a big paycheck it is this guy. He's like the Jerome James of ESPN.