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If there is one thing high-profile celebrities and small-town Kansas dwellers have in common, is they don't have much privacy.
For instance, let's say some big shot living on the west side of Wellington, who happens to have a hot wife, leaves his house at 2 a.m. Sunday morning, runs over a fire hydrant, smashes his fancy car into a tree and needs immediate medical attention.
Don't you think the tongues in Wellington would be wagging at the local coffee shops and beauty salons for at least a week on what might have happened over there in Westville Wellington?
You know they would.
I'm sure we'd have a little story in this newspaper about the incident as well.
So forgive me if I'm a little amused at the indignation from Tiger and his supporters about how his car crash has created a media sensation.
You can't stop people from being people.
Yes, the media coverage is overboard; yes, the story is completely irrelevant; and yes, it really isn't any of our business.
But let's get real. We all have a tendency to gossip, and this is great gossip.
I'm guilty. President Barack Obama just committed 30,000 new troops to Afghanistan in a conflict that could make the Iraq War look like child's play. But my eyes tend to glaze over at that coverage.
But dang if something about Mr. Eldrick Tiger Woods comes over my TV as of late that I'll stop eating my Honey Bunches of Oats and pay attention.
And I'm betting you do to.
Here's the thing Tiger, if you are reading this and I'm sure you won't.
You can own the golf course, own your business, own the people you associate with, and even own the media that covers you on a regular basis.
But you don't own public perception. No one does.
So if you don't like the media coverage and the Internet gossip surrounding the pickle you got yourself in, then you should have taken precautionary measures.
Don't screw around on your wife, don't crash your car into a tree at 2 a.m. and don't act like an arrogant unapproachable jerk after the fact.
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Tracy McCue is sports editor of the Wellington News. He can be reached at sports@wellingtondailynews.com.
If there is one thing high-profile celebrities and small-town Kansas dwellers have in common, is they don't have much privacy.
For instance, let's say some big shot living on the west side of Wellington, who happens to have a hot wife, leaves his house at 2 a.m. Sunday morning, runs over a fire hydrant, smashes his fancy car into a tree and needs immediate medical attention.
Don't you think the tongues in Wellington would be wagging at the local coffee shops and beauty salons for at least a week on what might have happened over there in Westville Wellington?
You know they would.
I'm sure we'd have a little story in this newspaper about the incident as well.
So forgive me if I'm a little amused at the indignation from Tiger and his supporters about how his car crash has created a media sensation.
You can't stop people from being people.
Yes, the media coverage is overboard; yes, the story is completely irrelevant; and yes, it really isn't any of our business.
But let's get real. We all have a tendency to gossip, and this is great gossip.
I'm guilty. President Barack Obama just committed 30,000 new troops to Afghanistan in a conflict that could make the Iraq War look like child's play. But my eyes tend to glaze over at that coverage.
But dang if something about Mr. Eldrick Tiger Woods comes over my TV as of late that I'll stop eating my Honey Bunches of Oats and pay attention.
And I'm betting you do to.
Here's the thing Tiger, if you are reading this and I'm sure you won't.
You can own the golf course, own your business, own the people you associate with, and even own the media that covers you on a regular basis.
But you don't own public perception. No one does.
So if you don't like the media coverage and the Internet gossip surrounding the pickle you got yourself in, then you should have taken precautionary measures.
Don't screw around on your wife, don't crash your car into a tree at 2 a.m. and don't act like an arrogant unapproachable jerk after the fact.
———
Tracy McCue is sports editor of the Wellington News. He can be reached at sports@wellingtondailynews.com.
