Normal rules do not apply when you are the world’s most famous athlete. Simply ask Tiger Woods, whose 300-yard drive early Saturday morning took out a fire hydrant and a tree in his posh neighborhood near Orlando.
Recommended Stories
It was, for Woods, far and away worse than any errant tee shot. He was taken to a local emergency room and treated for minor injuries. He then was released and taken home where he rested this past weekend.
It took six hours for the pictures of the accident to reach the celebrity Web site, TMZ. the National Enquirer had reporters on the ground but so did CNN, MSNBC, FOX and all the other major networks. I was watching the Florida-Florida State game on CBS when – 15 hours after the accident – there was a live helicopter shot of Woods’ home with Tim Brando informing the viewers that “Tiger Woods received minor injuries in a car accident outside his home.”
Sunday, Woods issued a statement on his Web site saying this whole thing was “his fault.” He called it a private matter.
Yet by Monday morning, the fender bender was the No. 2 story on all three network morning shows and the Florida Highway Patrol was seeking search warrants to get Woods’ medical records, according to TMZ. Woods, meanwhile, exercised his right through his lawyers and his agent not to make a statement to the police.
Was the accident due to a marital spat stemming from a National Enquirer report that Woods was having an alleged affair with New York party girl Rachel Uchitel?
Sports and news columnists alike are saying that Woods owes the public an explanation for the early morning accident.
I say otherwise.
Woods does not owe the public an explanation for anything that happened around 2:30 Saturday morning. As for Woods not speaking with the Florida Highway Patrol, he is under no obligation to speak to them. If they choose to bring charges against him they have only two choices. He could receive a ticket for the minor charge of “careless driving,” or the stronger charge of “reckless driving,” which, in most cases for a first time offender like Woods, would mean a fine and paying for the fire hydrant to be repaired.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
