By S.C. Zuba
Sports Columnist

Well, the long-awaited and long-overdue Tiger Woods press conference finally happened.

Woods appeared somber, embarrassed and genuinely apologetic as he spoke to a room of about 40 hand-selected people. Woods spoke of his affairs, yet did not go into any details, simply stating he was unfaithful and sorry for his actions.

His announcement came as no shock to the public as his personal life has been hung out like dirty laundry for all to see over the last three months—one of the many pitfalls of today’s invasive media coverage.

There comes a point when enough is enough, and I believe we reached that point about two-and-a-half months ago.

From the start of the “Tiger Drama,” I have supported the world’s greatest golfer—not because of his athletic ability or his entertainment value, but for the simple fact he is a human being. This is a topic upon which I am widely disagreed with, but I can’t help but feeling the Golden Rule still applies in the situation.

It’s the old adage we all learned about in elementary school: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” It may be elementary, but it is true.

Ethical values aside, Woods is taking the right steps down his long journey of redemption. He has apologized, sought help and vowed to make it right.

America saw a different Tiger Woods last Friday, Feb. 19. For once, he wasn’t on top of the world. In fact, you could argue he was in the exact opposite position. Woods was, well, human for once.

Maybe Woods will never be what he once was. Maybe too much damage has been done. Maybe he has burned every bridge and sealed his fate. But one thing is for sure, as Woods comes back to competition (which he inevitably will—my guess is before the Masters), golf will be a lot better off and it will be one heck of a ride.

If I had to bet, I’d say Woods wins two majors this season. I mean, he is the world’s greatest golfer for a reason.

Share your thoughts with S.C. Zuba via e-mail at samuelczuba@yahoo.com ^[1].

From the Feb. 24-Mar. 2, 2010 issue