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[DarkJediKnight]

Tiger Woods, the boy hailed to become the savior of Golf. The Ali, the Jordan, the Gretzky of his sport. And he lived up to it. Man did he ever!

There was time people weren't talking about if Walter Hagen's and Jack Nicklaus' 5 PGA championships would break - but how many more on top would Tiger have.

Now this guy can barely make a cut. He declines just when he's supposed to his prime around 2009.

Yes, people get old and lose their abilities, but Golf is one of those sports where older guys like Phil Mickelsen and Vijay Singh were winning championships into their 40s. That's what makes Tiger Woods' decline so polarized from his winning days.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Getting exposed as a horndog sapped him of all his powers.

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

he's still decent. at least he didn't go from winning NHL scoring trophies to failing to play in the AHL like Johnathan Cheechoo

 

[shira]

Well there was the intense psychological breakdown from the entire world finding out he was cheating on his wife. For a game that is hugely psychological it's no wonder.

 

[TheOrangeKid007]

Back and neck injuries meant game over. Besides he was never as good as Jack no matter how badly some wanted him to be.

 

[Team Alucard]

Peyton Manning went from having the greatest statistical season ever to being the worst QB in the league in just two years.

 

[Drifter_InA_Cage]

He got into Navy Seals training and wrecked his body. It's not so much a decline in performance as it is his body breaking down, if his body holds up, he's still the #1 player in the world as he was just 3 years ago. He just hasn't been healthy since.

 

[Speevy]

Robin Soderling and Juan Martin Del Potro

 

[brerwolfe]

It's not a decline because of loss of talent, it's a decline due to injury.

People seem to forget that he won 5 times in 2013 and was player of the year. Then he had a surgery, and then another. We don't know what's gonna happen at this point.

 

[BigRedOne]

Players with a bad case of the yips (ex. Mackey Sasser & Chuck Knoblauch) say hi

 

[Fox318]

Well there was the intense psychological breakdown from the entire world finding out he was cheating on his wife. For a game that is hugely psychological it's no wonder.

Plus the dude was running laps round his house in military boots thinking he was gonna join the seals

 

[CartridgeBlower]

I still think steroids might have played into it. I know there was some smoke, while never any fire, but it just doesn't look good that his decline matches so perfectly with the outing of the entire steroid scandal.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Back and neck injuries meant game over. Besides he was never as good as Jack no matter how badly some wanted him to be.

Oh please. Jack was a mere shadow of Tiger when he was at his peak.

The peak just didn't last.

 

[djplaeskool]

Combination of intense scrutiny and a litany of the worst possible injuries for a golfer.
It's a really a testament of just how far he pushed his body physically to get the results he did.

 

[Shamrock7r]

Not the worst, but I am always reminded of

"You're not going to remember Albert Haynesworth as a bust"
--Albert Haynesworth after being the first NFL player to sign a $100 million contract.

 

[timetokill]

I think what makes it worse is that ESPN and co. keep mentioning him despite him not being relevant anymore. Basically, "Here's golf, where Whatshisname is in 1st and Thatotherguy is just behind him, and the only person any of our viewers know about, Tiger Woods, is in 42nd place."

 

[metalslimer]

His had some terrible injuries and had destroyed his body

 

[G17]

ESPN did a fantastic feature on this. Goes through how everything unraveled, how much he wanted to be like his father, and did numerous military exercises at the expense of his Golf.

http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/sto...-life-unraveled-years-father-earl-woods-death

 

[brerwolfe]

I think what makes it worse is that ESPN and co. keep mentioning him despite him not being relevant anymore. Basically, "Here's golf, where Whatshisname is in 1st and Thatotherguy is just behind him, and the only person any of our viewers know about, Tiger Woods, is in 42nd place."

Except that he hasn't played in nearly a year, so...

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

It's got to be up there, at least when you're looking at guys who were playing at the very highest level. He went from the top dog to a joke in just a couple of years.

he's still decent. at least he didn't go from winning NHL scoring trophies to failing to play in the AHL like Johnathan Cheechoo

He's ranked 615th in the world. That's not really decent. He's a shell of a golfer at this point, a guy who even when healthy can't really compete unless it's an event that most of the top players are taking off because the playoffs start the following week.

 

[MartyStu]

Allen Iverson?

 

[Thebeardofknowledge]

My vote goes to Steve Blass

 

[Krejlooc]

linsanity, then post-linsanity

 

[timetokill]

Except that he hasn't played in nearly a year, so...

And yet they'll still mention him all the time. The point is they won't even allow him to fade away gracefully. Phil ends up out of the running? Barely a mention. Tiger? "Today on PTI: Will Tiger ever be good again?" for the 100th time

 

[Smellycat]

Robin Soderling and Juan Martin Del Potro

Robin Soderling disappeared after getting mono, and Del Potro is constantly injured.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

What about Lance? Guess that was less decline than "game over".

 

[Ponn]

Mike Tyson. Scandal and mental hang ups can be just as destructive to athletes as physical issues.

 

[tiggerkiddo]

And yet they'll still mention him all the time. The point is they won't even allow him to fade away gracefully. Phil ends up out of the running? Barely a mention. Tiger? "Today on PTI: Will Tiger ever be good again?" for the 100th time

This is why we don't listen to the Worldwide leader in sports

 

[Drifter_InA_Cage]

I still think steroids might have played into it. I know there was some smoke, while never any fire, but it just doesn't look good that his decline matches so perfectly with the outing of the entire steroid scandal.

I just don't see how steroid helps you drain clutch putts and make impossible up and downs for pars, which is what he was doing to win those tournaments in bunches.

Dude was just a prodigy with an incredible work ethic and had very strong guidance from his father.

 

[Master Thespian]

To add onto the points already made, the young guys aren't afraid or in awe of Tiger like the older guys were. When it was close Tiger used to be able to edge guys out on mystique and he doesn't have that anymore.

 

[Allforce]

He got into Navy Seals training and wrecked his body. It's not so much a decline in performance as it is his body breaking down, if his body holds up, he's still the #1 player in the world as he was just 3 years ago. He just hasn't been healthy since.

I read about this in a recent SI feature, dude was also playing videogames like 12 hours a day too.

Injuries, public humiliation, and he just outright lost his passion for what is a seriously mental game.

No matter the end the guy seriously elevated the sport to a ridiculous level. That aspect of his career is probably the most important than how many majors he ended up winning.

 

[The Incarnation]

It soon will be Jose Mourihno's when he is fired by Xmas.

 

[Mighty Chin]

Tiger Woods, the boy hailed to become the savior of Golf. The Ali, the Jordan, the Gretzky of his sport. And he lived up to it. Man did he ever!

There was time people weren't talking about if Walter Hagen's and Jack Nicklaus' 5 PGA championships would break - but how many more on top would Tiger have.

Now this guy can barely make a cut. He declines just when he's supposed to his prime around 2009.

Yes, people get old and lose their abilities, but Golf is one of those sports where older guys like Phil Mickelsen and Vijay Singh were winning championships into their 40s. That's what makes Tiger Woods' decline so polarized from his winning days.

I vividly recall a conversation with my friends when he became a pro. I said he'll never break Jack and once he hits 30 he's going downhill. I said that swing is gonna mess up his back.

I was right.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

And yet they'll still mention him all the time. The point is they won't even allow him to fade away gracefully. Phil ends up out of the running? Barely a mention. Tiger? "Today on PTI: Will Tiger ever be good again?" for the 100th time

Phil (along with Spieth these days) is pretty much the only guy aside from Tiger they'll ever give the time of day to. If Mickelson is in contention, they'll make the whole story about him.

It's when it's anyone else winning that ESPN will start going to Tiger regardless of what is going on. Especially if the golfer isn't American.

 

[Josh5890]

It really is sad how far his career has dropped off. Yes he will always have critics but there isn't a doubt that he changed the sport in many ways. The PGA and golf world is much better today than it would be if Tiger never existed. Golf would be the in the same situation right now as tennis is in America in terms of popularity.

 

[Novocaine]

Does Oscar Pistorius count?

 

[FZZ]

CTRL + F "OJ Simpson"

cmon

edit: well I guess OJ is more just a decline as a human being, he ended his football career alright

 

[The Incarnation]

I still think steroids might have played into it. I know there was some smoke, while never any fire, but it just doesn't look good that his decline matches so perfectly with the outing of the entire steroid scandal.

Nah, his mental invincibility got utterly devastated, so much so it affected him physically.

 

[alr1ght]

I mean he got old and injured, not to mention the personal issues. He dominated 10+ years.

 

[Josh5890]

CTRL + F "OJ Simpson"

cmon

Well in all fairness OJ's playing career was finished. Tiger was still in the middle of his prime when it came crashing down.

 

[Lebron]

Eh, he's still one of the greatest ever and him in his prime was beyond anything we've seen since.

Cut him some slack

 

[Branduil]

linsanity, then post-linsanity

Jeremy Lin was never actually a superstar though, here just got over-hyped by the desperate and self-important New York media.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I mean he got old and injured, not to mention the personal issues. He dominated 10+ years.

The thing is, he didn't get old. Injured, yes, but his decline period was in what should have been the peak of his career. Top golfers generally dominate in their mid-30s and remain competitive through their mid-40s, and some times even past that these days. Tiger fell into decline by the time he was 34.

Injuries wrecked him, but they wrecked him at a time where he should have been near the peak of his career.

 

[statham]

I mean he got old and injured, not to mention the personal issues. He dominated 10+ years.

yep. age, injuries, personal issues, steroids all played a issue, hes not the man from 10 years ago, but still legend. Hoping for one last comeback win. Jordan is still goat in all sports.

 

[bananafactory]

Jonathan Cheechoo says hi

Edit: damnit ETDP

 

[Drifter_InA_Cage]

97-2009 Tiger is the GOAT 12 year most dominating run of any sport.

Contrary to popular belief, golf isn't really an old man's game. Almost all of the all time greats had the most success in their 20s.

 

[random25]

Derrick Rose? From a promising career after being the youngest ever to win season MVP to a career where you question if he can play the next game, in just a very short amount of time.

 

[sgjackson]

from a performance standpoint: i'm definitely in the "tiger's body fell apart" camp over the "scandals affected him mentally" camp.

also nfl running backs go from "all-pro" to "out of the league" in a few years on the regular.

from a "how the public views this prominent sports figure" standpoint: oj was worse.

edit: gilbert arenas isn't worse than tiger but if you made the list he's probably top 5 or 10

 

[Timeaisis]

I think what makes it worse is that ESPN and co. keep mentioning him despite him not being relevant anymore. Basically, "Here's golf, where Whatshisname is in 1st and Thatotherguy is just behind him, and the only person any of our viewers know about, Tiger Woods, is in 42nd place."

I've been watching golf for like 15 years, and they've always done this with popular players. Tiger could miss the cut completely and they'd still talk about him. It happened with lots of players over the years, usually with "wonder boy" types. It happened with Sergio for a little while, too.

 

[Premium Quality]

What about Ronaldinho?
I don't really follow the sport, but he was everywhere at one time. Then he got fat and I haven't from him since.