........... Th e T a l e o f Ti ger W oo d s
...........
To my great-grandchildren
I am writing this with sore legs and a sweat-soaked shirt,
neither of which can stifle my urge to run across a closely
cut lawn while pumping my fist.
Please don't find me a sentimental old fool. But I have
just spent an afternoon walking with history.
It is a history you have certainly already seen in books,
but I was there. I bumped against it and shouted for it. I
melted in its heat and shivered at its triumph.
Just as somebody once told me about Babe Ruth, dear
children, I want to tell you about Tiger Woods.
You know by now that he was the greatest golfer who
ever lived.
Today, through a meandering old woods known as Au
gust National Golf Club, he first set foot on the edges of
that superlative.
Today, April 8, 2001, he won the Masters Golf Tourna
ment to become the first golfer to hold the titles of the four
modern major championships at the same time.
And, as you surely know now, it hasn't been done since.
Maybe you have even read about what Woods achieved
today, after shooting a 16-under-par 272 and finishing two
strokes ahead of David Duval. How he talked about put
ting all four major trophies on his coffee table. How he
hugged his dad.
But still, you must wonder. A golfer? A national hero
was once a golfer?
Now that people are now hitting balls for miles off the
moon, what is the big deal about hitting a crooked 300-
yard drive?
And all this fuss over somebody who is just 25 years
old? How can somebody make an lifelong impact while
virtually still a child?
I'll admit, I was thinking about this too, until I watched
Tiger Woods walking down the 18th fairway today into a
thunderous standing ovation that quieted even the birds.
Then, as I accidentally brushed my pen against a white
shirt in front of me, while accidentally elbowing a woman
to my left, steam rising from the mass of people in 85-
degree heat, I had some thoughts.
Here was a black man, walking into the teeth of a nearly
all-white crowd at an exclusive club that didn't accept its
first black member until 1991.
And they were standing for him.
Including a guy man named Hootie.
"You're the greatest," said club chairman Hootie
Johnson
Here, also, was a young athlete with black shoes and a
scowl, walking through a group of older colleagues in
saddle shoes and shrugs.
And they were cheering him.
"Under these circumstances, with what he was trying to
accomplish, to shoot 68 and win the golf tournament in the
manner that he did, is outstanding," said Duval.
Here was a guy unafraid to be unlike anybody else in his
sport, a guy who took those differences and turned them
into fuel that burned him into another atmosphere.
You know what he said was his favorite shot today? It
was a soaring, hooking tee shot on the dog-leg No. 13 that
led to a birdie. It occurred just one hole after he botched a
six-foot putt for a bogey that dropped him into a first-place
tie.
You know why he liked the shot?
"It's a shot I've been practicing the last couple of months,
knowing the fact that I'm probably going to need that shot,"
he said
For Troy Aikman, the show
by Jean-Jacques Taylor
Knight-Ridder Tribune
April 10, 2001
In an emotional soliloquy that
lasted nearly an hour, Aikman pro
vided a glimpse of a different side
of the man, who often shielded his
emotions from the public during his
12-year career.
"I've seen Danny White retire and
Tom Rafferty and Ed Jones and
Michael Irvin and Darryl Johnston
and Jay Novacek, and you think your
time will never come. My time has
come," Aikman said as his lower lip
quivered and a tear slid down his
face.
"Today I announce my retirement
from the National Football League
and the Dallas Cowboys. It was 12
of the best years of my life. It was
fun. Walking away from that is
hard."
Aikman's official retirement came
33 days after owner Jerry Jones
waived Aikman to avoid paying him
a $7 million roster bonus that would
have extended his contract through
2007.
Though he flirted with San Diego
and Kansas City, Aikman ends his
career having worn one uniform, just
like future Hall of Fame quarter
backs John Elway of Denver and
Dan Marino of Miami, who recently
retired.
Aikman, whose legacy has been Aikman, who has been negotiat
forged by three Super Bowl rings, ing with FOX, said an announcement
six NFC East championships and six probably would be made in the next
Pro Bowl appearances in 12 seasons, few days. Industry sources said that
said his body could no longer with- minor details remain to be worked
stand the rigors of a 16-game sea- out Isilw FOX and Aikman but
by Bill Plaschke
Los Angeles Times
April 8, 2001
Aikman missed five games and
parts of three others last season with
head and back injuries. He suffered
the ninth concussion of his NFL ca
reer and 11th overall, while compil
ing a quarterback rating of 64.4, his
worst in 10 seasons.
"I know it's the right thing for me
because of my health," said Aikman,
wearing a navy suit, matching tie and
a crisp, white shirt. Only a wedding
ring adorned his fingers.
"The concussions, the back prob
lems that I've had took their toll. I
know to try and go out there and play
next year would be a tough thing to
do. The competitor in me wanted to
do it. I still want to play. I just can't
do it anymore."
A crowd of more than 200 - includ
ing the current coaching staff and
several former teammates such as
Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and
Darren Woodson - listened to the 12-
year veteran's farewell speech and
watched the five-minute video of
Aikman's career that was produced
by NFL Films. Former Cowboys
such as tight end Eric Bjornson and
quarterback Jason Garrett also at
tended the event
Aikman did not divulge his plans
for the future, though he said he
would continue his charity work
through the Aikman Foundation and
he hinted at a broadcast career.
Tiger Woods made it cool to practice. He made it cool
to work. He made it cool to care.
Do you know how many times I saw him smile at the
crowd during today's round? Not once.
His playing partner, Phil Mickelson, a nice man who
you'll remember as being famous for final-round putting
yips, smiled and waved throughout.
Not Woods. He threw his putter on his bag. He flipped
his putter behind him. He defiantly swooped his ball out
of a cup after matching a Mickelson birdie.
He yelled at his shots - "Stop! Stop! Stop!"
KNIGHT-RIDDER TRIBUNE/RODGER MALLISON
Troy Aikman, the stoic leader whose workman-like efficiency guided
the Cowboys to an unprecedented three Super Bowl championships
in four seasons during the '9os, announced his retirement Monday at
Texas Stadium's Stadium Club.
that a deal could be announced as made Cowboys fans have pride, and
early as Tuesday. he made our football team a cham
"He made terminally ill children pion again. He showed why athletes
have hope," Jerry Jones said. "He can be heroes. He's a cornerstone of
NATIONAL SPORTS
He yelled at the crowd -
fessional!"
Tiger Woods made it cool to be in a zone
Then he taught us when it was cool to step out.
After his final fist pump for his final birdie on the final
hole that clinched the tournament, he suddenly took off
his black cap and buried his face inside.
He later admitted he was crying.
"For some reason, my emotions started coming out and
I started experiencing and reflecting on some of the shots
I had hit," he said. "A lot of different things went through
"No cameras, amateur or pro-
this franchise and a treasure of this
community. He's ours to enjoy and
be proud of forever."
Five years from now, Aikman will
probably be enshrined into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame.
Aikman, the first player selected
in the 1989 draft, ended the '9os as
the winningest starting quarterback
in any decade in NFL history by
posting 90 wins - four more than San
Francisco's Joe Montana had won in
the 'Bos.
Along with Montana and
Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw, he is
one of only three starting quarter
backs to earn at least three Super
Bowl rings. He holds nearly every
important passing record in franchise
history and was one of the best
postseason quarterbacks in NFL his
tory.
"I grew up watching the Dallas
Cowboys and Roger Staubach, and
I liked them because you could never
count them out," Aikman said. "They
had Bob Lilly, Lee Roy Jordan,
Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson,
Tony Dorsett and Randy White and
a lot of other great names. There was
such a history that I wanted to be a
part of that."
Aikman became the most emo
tional when he talked about former
teammates Michael Irvin and
Emmitt Smith and how instrumen
tal they were in his career and the
club's success.
He talked about the disappoint
ment of knowing he won't be around
to hand the ball off to Smith on the
carry that makes him the NFL's all
time leading rusher, and he fought
my head at that moment."
But then, he reminded us it was cool to be polite.
"I had to pull myself together, because Phil was finish
ing his round, and I had to congratulate him," he said.
Everything that Woods represents can be found in other
sports, of course. But rarely in one person. And only in
golf can these lessons be so clearly individual and openly
inspirational.
He was the right person, in the right place, at a time in
our sports evolution when we needed him most.
I know you have probably debated with friends about
whether Woods' holding all four major titles - Masters,
U.S. Open, British Open and PGA - is the best individual
sports achievement in history.
There was no debate today.
Walking with what seemed like 40,000 fans here - the
media is not allowed inside the restraining ropes, unlike at
other tournaments - it was impossible not to feel the cel-
ebration.
People were lined up 10 deep to see Woods tee off.
People were jumping up and down behind long lines to
see him putt. People were sliding down hills and hanging
on to dogwoods just to watch him walk.
Woods paused several times to cover his sweaty face in
a towel. Another time he held up a shot to chase away a
bug.
His gallery, though, stayed hot and bothered, standing
sweaty and motionless from shot to shot, never requiring
a marshal to quiet them, huddled together to cheer the mo
ment and the man.
Among those in the crowd were Woods' mother, Kultida,
who somehow wedged her way in front of small trees or
bushes to watch every shot.
The first family member Woods hugged afterward was
his father, Earl, a loud man who celebrated his son's final
putt by jabbing his finger into the air in a major-league "I
told you so."
Everyone seemed to understand the history here today
except, as usual, Woods.
After all, when he was asked what he would say to the
late legendary golfer Bobby Jones, Woods replied, "Well,
how did he come back?"
You may wonder, children, did Woods appreciate what
he was doing? Did he enjoy it as we did?
Perhaps the answer is that such unprecedented focus on
the course doesn't easily translate to romance in the inter
view room.
After spending an afternoon thinking only about the next
shot, it may be difficult for Woods to place that shot in
history.
But he does know this much: His buddy Michael Jor
dan won six major championships. On this day, Woods
tied him.
"This will probably go down as one of the great mo
ments in our sport," Woods admitted. "I cannot imagine
accomplishing something greater."
I will end this note by reminding you that some people
actually tried to downplay Woods' four consecutive titles
because they didn't occur in the same calendar year, tak
ing special pains to note that he did not win the elusive
prize known as golf's "Grand Slam."
Like greatness ever needs a name. Like greatness ever
needs to be anything other than something to embrace,
something to share.
His name was Tiger Woods, and here's hoping his
memory can touch you like his presence once touched us.
is over
back tears as he talked about the spe
cial relationship he has with Irvin,
who retired after the 1999 season.
"We were known as The Triplets'
and I loved it," Aikman said. "It
meant a lot to me because of the way
these guys went about handling their
business."
ambiance
He will miss the roar of crowd be
fore the big game and the pall in the
locker room after a bitter defeat. He
will miss telling deep snapper Dale
Hellestrae his deepest secrets the
night before a big game and the card
games on the flight home after a
hard-fought victory.
For Aikman, playing football was
about relationships with coaches.
And teammates. And trainers. And
support staff.
He will miss diagramming plays,
with offensive consultant Ernie
Zampese and afternoon jogs with
special teams coach Joe Avezzano.
It is time, he said, for another
phase of his life.
One that will focus more on fam
ily than football. Aikman and his
wife, Rhonda, are expecting a child
on Aug. 29. They already have a
daughter, Rachel.
Although Aikman recently pur
chased a home in Santa Barbara, Ca
lif., he said he will continue to have
a strong presence in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area.
"This is my home. This is where
family and friends are," Aikman
said. "I look forward to watching the
Dallas Cowboys be successful. Right
now, I'm their biggest cheerleader."
FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2001
Great Granddaddy.
Aikman said he loved football's