Hieronymous the Anonymous: Eye of the tiger

November 15, 2009

Eye of the tiger

I've just got home in time to see Tiger Woods win the Australian Masters. There was some controversy a few months back when it was announced that Tiger would be paid 3.3 million in appearance money to come downunder for the event. Aside from the standard wowsers there's no-one complaining today. His trip has been an unmitigated success. We've seen four days of sunshine and huge crowds following Tiger around at one of the best golf courses in the world, Kingston Heath. It's been a great fillip to the sport, great publicity for the course, and an economic boon for the city.

Tiger is a popular champion, but I was hoping one of the Aussies might get up. That they didn't is no great disappointment. Tiger Woods is a champion in the true sense of the world. No-one could begrudge his success because he is a man who truly deserves it.

History may will likely record him as being the best golf player of all time. He has great natural talent, but I doubt that is the secret to his success. He's a good man. Though he has every excuse to be, he is far from the arrogant champion. He is approachable, human, friendly, a good bloke in the Aussie vernacular. His ability, his unsurpassed success, gives him a kind of aura that is belied by his down to earth humility. He is a grounded man, blessed with great ability, and a temperament that comes from a good upbringing. For me this is what is most impressive about him. I think he has great natural ability, but so too many others. What he has that sets him apart is a steely resolve that demands nothing less than a superlative level of performance. It's all very well to set that standard, but to achieve and then to maintain it takes a lot of hard work, determination and great mental strength. Not for a moment does Tiger take it easy. Not for a moment does he take it for granted. His success is the product of that hard work and the confidence it creates, and the knowledge that if it can be done then he will do it.

That is what it takes to be a champion: a certain amount of ability, hard work, self belief, and a single minded focus on the goal ahead. Listen to Tiger speak through a tournament. He's affable, friendly, but - and no pun intended - he has the eye of the tiger. Anything else but a W against his name is extraneous to his aim.

I'm surprised at how positive this week has been. This afternoon in an interview with Tiger post match a child was quoted that seeing him in the flesh was a bit like seeing an action hero come to life. That explains in large part the crowds that have flocked to Kingston Heath this week: this was the chance to see the best of all time in the flesh.

Another sporting idol of a few years back has been in the news lately. Andre Agassi is releasing his autobiography and it's clear it's warts and all. He has been roundly pilloried in the last few weeks after admitting he took drugs once during his playing career, and lied about it. He's been candid about tanking matches and, more amusingly, about wearing a toupe early days. It sounds like a good read.

Agassi retired from tennis as a much loved statesman of the game. For myself I see no reason why that should change now. I admire his honesty, and don't really anything less. Former and current players are getting in a lather over the drug admission, but I think it pretty innocent. I may be naive, but I suspect the opposite. We live in an age where drugs are freely available, especially when you have ready cash. I expect most people of Agassi's generation have tried something - why should he be any different? I guess the argument is that he's a professional sportsman and is sworn by extension against drugs. He's also a human being, with the same flaws as the rest of us.

I take more seriously the admission of tanking matches, but find it easy to let it go after all this time. Sure he's a public figure, but I don't see why he should be more lily-white than the rest of us. I'm prepared to give him a break. He gave a lot more to the game than he took from it, and if we find he had feet of clay then so what? No great harm done.