Below is the full text of the apology Tiger Woods post to his website.
I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.
Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.
But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.
Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.
I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.
"But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family."
I agree with the above statement, private matters should be dealt with within one's own family. Wouldn't it be nice for all of us if that was the way life worked.
I've read that Tiger's affairs are no one's business, but what others don't understand is, public scorn is one of the consequences of cheating on a spouse.
If I cheated on my husband you can bet my neighbors and relatives would be talking and sharing opinions. In my little world, it would be a big deal that got the attention of others. The only difference between Tiger and I is that my world is smaller than his.
Tiger Woods cheated on his wife while she was pregnant. What did he think would happen if that "intimate detail" of his life became public? Unless he has been living under a rock he had to have known that celebrity infidelty is big news.
Infidelty is news whether you are a celebrity or not and if you've cheated you really aren't in a position to pass judgment on those who have an opinion about the behavior.
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I think women should stick together on Tiger’s behavior. He is married by his own choosing and has two small babies. This is the kind of crap seen on the Jerry Springer show, which means he is no better – just makes more money! I believe more women purchase the products that sponsor Tiger than men – Boycott them! Take for example Pop Tarts, how many men purchase POP TARTS? Men that condone his behavior are cheaters as well and they think what he did was cool. Any women that acknowledge this are like the sluts that did this!!!
Are all men just pigs? My experience and my knowledge of the world tells me this is so. Men will cheat if they think they can get away with it. I’m very sad for my young daughter to live in a world filled with these snakes, and yes I’m very sorry for my young son, too–that he will grow up into one of these dogs.
Thank you for calling a spade a spade. I was horrified at the Tiger Woods news. We are all too accepting of really bad behavior in this society when we brush it off by saying “this is a private situation.” What nonsense. To me, that is like saying we ought to have no morals or boundaries. I’m even just as irked about the pre-nup he re-negotiated with Elin. Money to keep her silent? What does this say?
I’m not a Tiger fan but you gals need your heads examined…
Tee Cee… how about you women sticking together by not sleeping with each others men?
Sonia… who do you think these pigs are sleeping with…It’s not other pigs, it’s the cows… the skinny ones with long legs and big ud… It’s not just one, there’s a never ending line of them.
DM… Where’s the outrage that Tiger was apparently leaving at high-speed to avoid getting his head bashed in with a 9-iron? If it wasn’t a “private situation”, Elin might be in jail trying to explain why she broke a couple of windows while trying to rescue Tiger.
The renegotiation of the pre-nup just shows what it’s all about…money. More money for Elin. More money for TMZ. More money for the lawyers before this is all over.
notsurprised,
I’m not surprised at all at Elin’s reaction. There is documented, scientific evidence that proof of an adulterous relationship by a spouse causes PTSD. The very reaction of anger and then support or concern is a symptom of PTSD. Tiger seems to be a control freak regarding his image. While he’s a hell of a golfer and athlete, it doesn’t sound as if he’s been a great spouse. What I’d suggest is that you do more research on the effects of infidelity in a marriage. You will be surprised at how it does affect the non-offending spouse. Affairs often are passive-aggressive behavior aimed at the non-offending spouse. While I don’t condone Elin’s behavior, I see what may have caused it in her own mind. And understanding that behavior and the behavior that goes on to support an affair is good knowledge to have in order to know what not to do if you want a healthy marriage.
The price of fame can be steep sometimes…this situation is a moral one, and it should be between him and his wife/family not the whole world to scrutinize and judge. There are more important things going on in the world i.e. the situation in Haiti. He has apologized, now the apology will be scrutinized and judged. He might as well have stayed hidden and waited for the fire to burn down.