Earl Woods has passed away...

[oliegirl]

From Tiger's Website:

"I’m very saddened to share the news of my father’s passing at home early this morning. My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply. I’m overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life. He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him, and I’m honored to continue his legacy of sharing and caring. Thank you to all who are sending condolences to my family and our Foundation. We are truly blessed to have so many who care during this difficult time."

From AJC.com:

CYPRESS, Calif. — Earl Woods, a retired Army sergeant who was credited by his son for developing a mental tenacity that led to Tiger Woods' ascension to No. 1 in the golf world, has died at 74, his son confirmed today. He had been battling prostate cancer for more than a year.



Very sad news...

[Lorena]

Very, very sad

[Franklinnoble]

Actually, I heard he was a big jerk.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Actually, I heard he was a big jerk.

He was your role model, too?

[Lorena]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Actually, I heard he was a big jerk.

Wow

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

He was your role model, too?

No, I just knew some folks when I lived in Arizona that worked in the hotel and catering business... they did a lot of interacting with pro golfers and their entourage. The knock on Earl was that he was beliggerent, demanding, and rude. Dude was bitching about his bacon cheeseburger not being rare enough a month after his heart surgery and such. Just generally not a very pleasant guy, by most accounts.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

No, I just knew some folks when I lived in Arizona that worked in the hotel and catering business... they did a lot of interacting with pro golfers and their entourage. The knock on Earl was that he was beliggerent, demanding, and rude. Dude was bitching about his bacon cheeseburger not being rare enough a month after his heart surgery and such. Just generally not a very pleasant guy, by most accounts.

And what has that got to do with having sympathy for somebody who lost their father and apparently cared very deeply for him?

Is that how you would want us to respond to an announcement in 30 years from your kids that you had passed? "I heard he was a big jerk."

So Tiger's never going to stumble on our little excuse for a community and see your response, but that doesn't mean carte blanche to be that disrespectful.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

And what has that got to do with having sympathy for somebody who lost their father and apparently cared very deeply for him?

Is that how you would want us to respond to an announcement in 30 years from your kids that you had passed? "I heard he was a big jerk."

So Tiger's never going to stumble on our little excuse for a community and see your response, but that doesn't mean carte blanche to be that disrespectful.

You know, all I was trying to do was temper all the syrupy eulogizing that's going on all over the internet about the guy. Everyone's gushing about what a wonderful guy he was, and I'm just saying he's another jackass that kicked the bucket at a ripe old age. There's nothing tragic about someone dying at that age, and I'm saying it's not like we've lost a national treasure here.

Oh, and I could give a rat's ass what anyone says about me when I'm gone. And Earl, Tiger, and family probably have the same attitude.

[MizzouRah]

Sad news... RIP

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

You know, all I was trying to do was temper all the syrupy eulogizing that's going on all over the internet about the guy. Everyone's gushing about what a wonderful guy he was, and I'm just saying he's another jackass that kicked the bucket at a ripe old age. There's nothing tragic about someone dying at that age, and I'm saying it's not like we've lost a national treasure here.

Oh, and I could give a rat's ass what anyone says about me when I'm gone. And Earl, Tiger, and family probably have the same attitude.

Have to agree with you here. It's not like he was spring chicken and it wasn't Tiger that died. I am not trying to rail on the guy, but it's funny that Franklin can't make a comment about this guy but many other deaths are fair game. I always found it a bit of a stretch that he taught his son to play golf at two, but it was always Tiger's choice to continue. Like little kids are capable of making decisions of that magnitude. Obviously it paid off in this case, but how many dads are just plain assholes who pressure their kids to do sports when they just won't ever make it. And how many more were inspired by Tiger & Earl?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

You know, all I was trying to do was temper all the syrupy eulogizing that's going on all over the internet about the guy. Everyone's gushing about what a wonderful guy he was, and I'm just saying he's another jackass that kicked the bucket at a ripe old age. There's nothing tragic about someone dying at that age, and I'm saying it's not like we've lost a national treasure here.

Oh, and I could give a rat's ass what anyone says about me when I'm gone. And Earl, Tiger, and family probably have the same attitude.

I gave you the benefit of the doubt on the first post, but this seals the deal. Quite a few untimely, insensitive, asshatish remarks on here in the last day or two from a few people.


Now is not the time to "temper" the eulogizing.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by panerd

... but it's funny that Franklin can't make a comment about this guy but many other deaths are fair game.

Ditto.

Wait, check that, it's not really funny nor is it surprising. It's actually pretty predictable when you consider who said it.

Franklin ain't exactly one of the fair haired golden children who can do no wrong here, so if he dares to supply a little reason to a situation involving somebody like Saint Tiger ... well, like I said, it's pretty predictable how it's going to go.

It wasn't exactly a secret that Wood's father was considered hard to get along with -- hell, I don't follow golf but I knew that, so it couldn't have been extremely obscure knowledge. He wasn't Richard Williams, but he was closer to that than some saintly figure.

I didn't wish the guy dead or anything, he was never my problem. He did two tours in Vietnam, he endured cancer, I'm open to cutting him some slack. But to read something trying to lionize him like this is pretty disgusting frankly and illustrates the value and need for a little reality check like Franklin provided.

[Karlifornia]

Thank you, Franklin for the much needed reality check. I will halt progress on the Earl Woods shrine that I was constructing.

[Young Drachma]

I think the real reason this is even news beyond the fact that Tiger is the best golfer in the world, is the fact that his dad was so central to his growth and development and ultimately, his love for the game.

As for parents and pushing the kids too far. In tons of interviews, Tiger, his dad and his mom all said that no one pushed him to play. There would be days where they'd tell him to go play with his friends and if he wanted to stop playing, that he could've.

On the other hand, Richard Williams said the reason he taught his girls tennis was because he saw all the money they made and wanted to have daughters who could do the same. That said, I doubt Venus or Serena care about all that right now, seeing how much tennis has afforded them to do the things that they really want to do.

I think that's probably why they don't care about the game as much or have this crazy desire to be better than everyone else or to play until they are 50 like Martina N. or whoever, because they were pushed into the game, probably didn't get a choice whether to play or not and learned at an early age that tennis was their one shot out of where they were.

At any rate, I know what it's like to lose someone super close to you and whether he was an asshat or not, he's hardly the first old person to be a jerk and won't be the last. I don't really care and feel for Tiger and his family..because I know that whether he was old or not, no one wants to see their parents go.