rickyleepotts …an opinionated realist

I play video games.  I play video games a lot actually.  I play sports games, first person shooter games, racing games, and even role-playing games if the mood strikes me.  I am not into games like World of War Craft, but I probably spend as much time playing games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf as some of you do playing WOW.  I take the game very serious and have purchased every copy of the game on the day of release since the 1999 version when it came to PC.  I recently have been going to Walmart at midnight the day of the release as that allows for immediate satisfaction of the updated graphics and the new game play.

I would venture to say that I play my Microsoft Xbox 360 about 95% of the time.  I am a console collector, as I have all three of the next generation consoles, but the 360 has a special place in my heart.  Perhaps it is the fact that I waited in line at Walmart for over twenty hours to guarantee that I got one the day it came out.  Or maybe it is because this is the first time that Tiger Woods was a launch title.  Actually, I think the real reason is because of the achievement points.  These points are a way for you track your progress as you play and beat games.  You get points for doing things like completing a season in Madden or for running a lap in Project Gotham Racing without hitting a wall.  Some of the points are easier to get than others, but with that comes smaller point totals.  I currently have just over 14,000 gamer points and from what I can tell that is a lot.  But again, I do play a lot.  Think of gamer points as bragging rights for the rest of the gamers out there.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 has been giving me some problems lately.  I have not beat the game, I have not completed the tournament challenge, and I have only received about half of the gamer points that this game has available.  However, with that being said, I do know what all of these achievements are.  And not only do I know what these achievements are but I also have researched them a little deeper to know not only how to accomplish these achievements but also some of the little innuendos that go along with each task.  Below you will see a complete list of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 achievements and a little more information on each one.  (These will go from the easiest achievements to obtain to the hardest and highest point valued ones.)

Team Work – Watch the Credits – 10 Points

This is a pretty simple task to complete.  All you have to do is head to the main menu, choose the My Tiger Woods -10 option, then select Extras, and then Credits.  Once you have watched the credits for the game you will unlock this achivement.  This is an easy way to jump start your list and to learn a little bit more about the number of people that went into making this game possible.

Blammo! – Earn the Bingo, Bango & Bongo point on a single shot in the Bingo Bango Bongo Traditional game mode. – 10 Points

This is another pretty simple task to complete.  Bingo Bango Bongo is a pretty fun style of play.  The concept here is that you and your opponent(s) tee off.  You earn a Bingo for the first person to hit the green.  Then, you win the Bango for being the closest to the pin once everyone is on the green.  The Bongo then comes as the lowest score on that hole.  So, for instance, if you hit in the middle of the fairway, stick it to three inches, and your opponent misses his putt and is a foot away from the hole, you would in theory win all three.  There are multiples ways in this game to achieve this task, but the easiest is to play you with two controllers.  Set up the game to be you versus yourself.  Hit the shots that you know will allow the first, or the second, player to win all three.  Is it cheating?  Sure it is but it beats trying to figure out a way to do this while playing in the exhibition mode.

Weather Report – Complete an online 18-hole round in the rain using the Live Weather feed. – 10 Points

Live Weather is new to the Tiger Woods franchise.  This is a feature that based on GPS and the constant connection to the web that your console has (assuming you invested in an Xbox Live account) to pull the actual weather conditions as they are in the city of where the course you are playing exists.  So, if you head over to St. Andrews to play a quick round before bed, have Live Weather set, and it is raining in Scotland you better believe that it is raining on the game.  This feature is cool because it gives you an accurate sense of what these guys truly have to deal with from week to week out there on tour.

The Comeback Kid – Come back from a +5 or worse to finish Even or better, in any Traditional or Online game mode round. – 15 Points

This is a very easy task to complete.  The idea of this is that you have to come back from being at least five strokes over par and finish the round even or under par.  This is not hard as most of these courses have the potential to shoot in the low 50s once you have figured out the putting.  The easiest way I know how to tell you to beat this challenge is to knock a few balls out of bounds on the first hole and start your next seventeen holes already at your target of five shots over par.  Then, once you have hit that magic number just play the way you would normally play.  Chances you finish even or under par are pretty good.

Tough at the Top – Compete in Play-The-Pros mode and submit your score online. – 15 Points

This is also another easy task to complete.  All you have to do is log on, play 18 holes in this particular category, and post your score online.  It does not matter if you shoot twenty under par or twenty over par, as long as you submit the score online you will unlock this achievement.

Play with the Big Boys – Drive the ball 400 or more yards in the fairway in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 Points

This is a task that takes a little bit of planning.  First, your player (you could use Tiger Woods for this if you want to) needs to have a high distance rating.  Once you are near a full rating on your distance category, head out to any given golf course and let the big dog eat, as they say. Some things that might help are finding a downhill down wind par four or five.  If the wind is at your back it will be much easier for the ball to carry.  If you do get a big down wind open the club face a little to let the ball get that extra airtime after you hit it.  You will probably get this achievement on accident by just playing the game.

Maximum Power – Complete an 18-Hole round using a max stats costume in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

There are a couple of ways to complete this task.  You can purchase the bunny costume with 300 Microsoft points and get this challenge right out of the gate.  But, if you are like me and find yourself on a budget, you just simply have to unlock the bunny suit to break this challenge.  You can unlock this costume by making your way through the Tournament Challenge.  You have to play this to be able to unlock all of the achievements anyway, so it just comes with time.  But once you have unlocked the bunny suit all you have to do is play 178 holes.  Easy enough.

Raindancer – Play in the rain and score an Eagle or better in any Stroke based Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

This is simple.  Set the weather to rain, play a round, and score an eagle or better.  Once you sink that eagle you will get an easy 25 points.

Riding Spinnaz – Sink an approach shot using backspin covering a distance of 5ft or greater in any game mode. – 25 Points

You will get this just by playing the game.  As you make your way through the PGA Tour season or the Tournament Challenge.  Most wedges wil spin this much by default so do not worry about the distance of your spin.  So just go out and play and eventually you will sink a field shot.

Taking Flight – Total 50 birdies with a created player. – 25 Points

This is a pretty simple one to break.  Just go out and play and you will break this in no time.  I currently have over 1,000 birdies and I am not even at 100% game completion.  A harder challenge might have been 50 eagles with a created player. But make sure that you are using your created player as these do not count with the players that are already in the game.

Eye of the Hurricane – Shoot under Par through a Gale Force wind in a Traditional or Online game mode 18-hole round. – 25 Points

Gale force winds are insane on this game. You will be starring at 25+ mile an hour winds going in any given direction.  Sometimes with winds this crazy rain is also thrown into the mix.  Regardless, just play smart, make sure you sink a few birdies early, and you will break this achievement.

It’s All in the Hips – Use Precision Putter to sink a 30ft putt without Putt Preview, in a Traditional or Online game mode. – 30 points

For this challenge you must sink a 30 foot putt without using the putt preview.  The putt preview is your one and only chance at seeing where, if you hit the ball at 100%, your putt will travel.  It can be difficult not using this as the new putting is something very hard to grasp for most average to mid level players.  But, there is luck!  In the tournament challenge you will be matched with Tiger and are required to match him shot for shot.  One of these is a putt that is 30 foot long.  The first time you have this putt, line it up, and use the putt preview.  Understand where the putt will break but then miss the putt on purpose.  The challenge will restart leaving your putt exactly where you had it before. Adjust accordingly and sink the putt.

Bare Minimum – Play a round under Par in a Traditional or Online game mode with a Driver, SW, 5 Iron and Putter. – 30 Points

This is a fun one to break.  I suggest that you use a curse like St. Andrews.  The course is not that long, from the white tees, and has pretty flat greens.  Also, while playing use the three click style of play.  This way if you have a 5 iron going into a 130 yard shot you can guarantee you will not miss the green by very much.  But the easiest thing you can do is just go out and have fun!

Big Money – Win 5 Million Dollars in Live Tournaments. – 30 Points

Good luck on this one.  This is the hardest challenge in the game, in my opinion.  This will take you not only time but patience as you have to play a lot, and for a long time to unlock this one.  There are various styles of online tournaments ranging from daily, weekly, and play the pros.  Each one requires you to play four rounds and the top 350 places generally pay out.  The play the pros one pay fewer spots.  This is not hard; it is just time consuming and a lot of golf.  So get out there and start making some birdies!

Piece of Cake – Post a Top 50 score in a Live Tournament. – 30 Points

This is not s hard as it sounds.  All you have to do is go out to live tournaments and finish one round in the top 50.  Find a tournament that has just started, play your heart out, shoot a decent score, and you will place in the top 50.

Migration – Total 100 Birdies using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Just like the 50 birdies that you must collect this is just a continued effort.  Keep playing and keep making those birdies and this one will eventually find its way into you trophy case.

Birds of Prey – Total 25 Eagles using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Exactly like the two birdie challenges, this is based on eagles.  So, head out there, play some par fives, and rack up the eagles.

Big Tuna – Play an 18-hole Traditional or Online game mode round in FIR and GIR using only tuned clubs. – 50 Points

This one is quite difficult for multiple reasons.  First, every club that you have in your bag must have been tuned out on the driving range.  The putter is the only club that you cannot tune.  This can be done by changing the loft, the lie, or anything else that you think will benefit your swing in the club-tuning mode.  I changed my clubs by one degree of loft.  Now comes the hard part.  You have to play 18 holes and not miss a single fairway.  You also cannot miss a single green.  You must literally play a perfect round from tee to green to break this with those tuned clubs.  Mine happened by accident but with a little patience you can break this in a hurry.

Aces High – Ace a Par 4 or a Par 5 hole in any Traditional or Online game mode. – 50 Points

This one is a lot more difficult than you might think.  You might pull this off by accident during normal game play but if you want to focus on this challenge and guarantee that you complete it then you need to head back to St. Andrews.  And rather than using your created player take Luke Donald.  On hole #9 at St. Andrews Luke will hit a 99-100% driver pin high.  Then, just play with the spin until you knock it in.  Also, use the mulligan feature in case you miss it to save from having to go back and set up the hole again.

Well-Seasoned – Complete a PGA TOUR® Season with at least 10 Million Dollars in career earnings. – 50 Points

This is a pretty simple task.  Just play through a season, win as many tournaments as you can, and finish the PGA Tour season with over $10 million in earnings.  The first time you do this it will actually unlock not only this achievement but also the Tracking Tiger Trophy Ball for making more than $10 million in a single reason.  Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.

Circle of Life – Score an Ace, an Eagle, a Birdie, a Par and a Bogey in a single round of a PGA TOUR® Event. – 55 Points

This, as hard as it seems, will again just happen on accident.  You can play a round and get any number of eagles, birdies, and bogies.  But the hole in one is the issue.  Play a course like Wentworth where you have a lot of chances.  Play the white tees, as well, giving you a better chance at scoring that ace.  With a little luck this will happen during the course of play.

Eagle Eye – Total 100 Eagles using a created golfer. – 55 Points

Remember when I said they should focus on the eagles rather than the birdies?  Well, your wish is my command.  Score 100 of these and you will unlock another achievement.

Ten Thousand Ways – Earn 10,000 Player Points in EA SPORTS™ GamerNet. – 75 Points

This is something that just comes with time.  You can either win these through the course of normal play by knocking it close to the pin or by out driving some of the other players on Xbox Live, or you can do it online in their menu.  You can search for and find these set challenges and if you beat them this route it will earn you double points.  This track will allow you a much easier road and can be accomplished in a few hours if that. (I am doing it the old school route and earning them as I go through the PGA Tour Season.

Challenge the World – Complete the Tournament Challenge mode. – 75 Points

It does not get any easier than this. Just play through and complete the tournament challenge.

Sharkies – Play 18 holes online against an EA Tiburon team member or against a player who has this Achievement. – 80 Points

You can either head online and setup a match with this as a requirement or just risk it and play as many people online as you can until you unlock this.  You must, however, complete all 18 holes for this to unlock.

From Bad to Worse – Hit the ball from any bunker into a different hazard, such as a Water Hazard or Out of Bounds. – 10 Points

This is easy.  Hit the ball into a bunker then hit it out of bounds or into a water hazard.  It really is that simple.

Mulligans Island – Use 20 or more mulligans during an 18-hole round, in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 points

Just start a round with mulligans activated and go to town.  You can do this all on the first shot of the round if you want.  Once you have used twenty of these finish the round and you will unlock this achievement.

No Known Survivors – Equip the CEC Mining Hazard Suit – 35 Points

All you have to do is play through the Tournament Challenge.  Once you have completed the four rounds at the TPC of Boston you will unlock this in the pro shop.  Equip it and then you will unlock this achievement.

Levinator25 – Complete the first Bonus Challenge in Tournament Challenge. – 55 Points

This is a fun little secret achievement that you will have to complete.  Once you have made your way through what you think is 100% of the Tournament Challenge you will be given one more set of tasks to complete.  You will be given incredible shots from recent history on the PGA Tour.  The first, and the one that you need to complete to win this task, is knock it in from a lily pad.  Remember that Tiger Woods commercial where he hits the ball from a lily pad standing in the middle of the lake?  Well, now you get to experience this first hand.

These are the achievements in the 2010 Tiger Woods PGA Tour Xbox 360 game.  The game is the best graphics you have seen in this series to date and the game play is incredible.  The putting, as always, changes this year but you get used to it.  If you are like me and obsess over achievement points hopefully this will help you get a healthy chunk.

Today, on Friday February 19, 2010, Tiger Woods made a public apology to a group of close friends and family. At the PGA headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Tiger stepped to a podium with people like his mother, long time friend and former college roommate Notah Begay, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, and a handful of others. Also said to be there were his wife and other good friends like Michael Jordan. Yet these individuals did not sit in the room where Tiger gave his speech, you could tell he was with friends and family while presenting.

The speech itself was very scripted. Tiger read from a stack of papers and the speech lasted just over thirteen minutes. Tiger expressed his apologies to his sponsors, friends, family, and fans. Tiger also said that he has been receiving and will continue to receive rehabilitation for his actions. To the average person you would assume that Tiger meant every word of what he said.

Tiger left the stage by hugging his mother, shaking hands with the majority of the front row (where Tim Finchem was sitting and was the only person who did not get up once Tiger was finished speaking) and then gracefully walked out of the room. Then came hours of “experts” expressing their thoughts on the speech. Basically, when this was all said and done it was something that Tiger had to do. He has no choice but to apologize to a nation demanding answers.

Below you will find the presentation word for word as well as a video of him speaking. This was a tough day for Tiger Woods, and Tiger fans all over the world. I feel sorry for the man to have to go through all of this, and I know that once he does in fact return to the golf course everything will go back to normal. Tiger is, and always will be, a professional golfer and very well the best player to ever play the game.

“Good morning and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me, or you worked with me or you supported me. Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you simply and directly I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.

I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person there are some things I want to say. Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss and however what we say to each will remain between the two of us. I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down. I have let down my fans.

For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners. To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago my dad and I envisioned in helping your people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the learning center in southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington DC, millions of kids have changed their lives and I am dedicated to making sure that continues. But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.

For all that I have done I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage. Ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.

The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable and I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that normal rules did not apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all of the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong, I was foolish; I don’t get to play by different rules.

The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me. I have had a lot of time to think about what I have done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It is not up to me to make amends. That starts by never repeating the mistakes I made. It is up to me to start living a life of integrity.

I once heard, and I believe its true, “It’s not what you achieve in life that matters, its what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.

It’s hard to admit that I need help. But I do. For forty-five days form the end of December to early February I was in in-patient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I am facing. I have a long way to go but I have taken my first steps in the right direction.

As I proceed I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me details of the time I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin or I will remain together. Please know that as far as I am on concerned everyone of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife. Some people have made up things that never happened. They said that I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the shame I have done I still believe that it is right to shield my family form the pubic light. They did not do these things. I did.

I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors; my commercial endorsements. When my children were born we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my two and a half year old daughter to school and to report the school’s location. They staked out my wife and they perused my mom. Whatever my wrong doings for the sake of my family please leave my wife and kids alone. I recognize I have brought his on myself and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe to my family to become a better person, I owe those close to me to become a better man. That is where my focus will be.

I have a lot of work to do and I tend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith form childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security; it teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught. As I move forward I will continue to receive help because I have learned that’s how people really do change.

Starting tomorrow I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I am making these remarks today. In therapy I have learned the importance in looking at my spiritual life and keeping a balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so that I can have the things that are important to me; my marriage and my children.

That also means relying on others for help. I have learned to seek support from my peers in therapy and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks I have received many thousands of emails, letters, and people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me. I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem, and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course. Finally, there are many people in this room and there are many people at home, who believed in me. Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.”

As you all know Tiger Woods has been under the gun since his Thanksgiving Day car accident outside of his home in Orange County, Florida. The accident happened very late at night and there was immediate speculation that alcohol and domestic violence was involved in the incident. Alcohol, according to the Orange County Police Department, was not the cause of the accident. Then stories came from everywhere claiming that Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s Swedish super model wife, had beaten him up and he was running in a frantic to get away from her. (That might explain why Tiger did not have any shoes on when the police arrived.) There were even reports that she had bashed the car window in with one of his golf clubs. Regardless, this was a bad way for Tiger to spend his turkey day.

Tiger would spend the next couple of months in hiding as accusation after accusation came pouring in about his extramarital affairs. As many as fifteen women have lain claim to having shared a bed with Tiger Woods as a married man. Stories began to unfold that he would such as how Tiger would rent an entire floor of a Las Vegas hotel and order multiple cases of booze for him and a few friends.There were even stories that Tiger would purchase illegal drugs, order women who were paid to stay quiet, and disappear to some remote island for the weekend. (There were pictures taken recently of Tiger walking on the beach with a blond woman who was not his wife. He was in Australia for a golf tournament.)

Tiger married Elin Nordegren in October of 2004. On the list of women who have claimed to have slept with Tiger Woods includes Mindy Lawton, Cori Rist, and the hottest topic of them all, Rachel Uchitel. We are talking about Las Vegas cocktail waitresses to industry favorite porn stars. There are even reports starting to come out that one of these women is pregnant with Tiger’s baby. The gossip never ends thanks to websites like TMZ and magazines like the National Enquirer.

Needless to say this has been a mess for Tiger and his family. Tiger and Elin spent some time overseas at first, then Elin took some time to herself while her husband reportedly checked into a sex rehab facility down south. However, Tiger and Elin are now back in their Florida home with both of their children. This comes just in time for Tiger Woods to make his first public statement since November.  This announcement will come at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 19^th, 2010. But, before the announcement comes out I wanted to take the time to share with you what I feel the announcement will say. This is my attempt at writing a speech for the man I admire, Tiger Woods.

“Good morning everyone, and thank you for coming. Allow me to start by saying how deeply saddened I am for my friends and family. Since Thanksgiving Day there have been an onslaught of rumors about my transgressions and what the future for my career would hold. As you know I did take an indefinite leave of absence from golf. You will also recall that I did make an official statement on my website admitting to these transgression and I am deeply sorry for all of the hurt that I have caused. I have had to deal with this and what it has done to my family every day since and every day from here on out. That is why I am here today. Not only to apologize to you, my fans, but to also announce my return to the game of golf.

I will be making my official return to play at the Tavistock Cup in a few weeks. This is an event that I hold in high regard as it allows a select few PGA players the chance to play on one of the nicest courses in the country, Isleworth. This tournament also is on what I would consider a home course-taking place just down the road from my home here in Orange County. After this event I plan on playing at Bay Hill for the Bay Hill Invitational a couple of weeks before the Master and then again taking my game to Augusta for the Masters in April.

In my time away I have been able to rest, gather my thoughts on all that has been said in the media, and I am now ready to make a return to the game that I love. So to my family, friends, and fans know that I am deeply sorry for all that you ave been through as a cause of my actions, and know that I love you all for sticking with me through this difficult personal time in my life. I look forward to getting back on the course and I thank you for coming here today. That is all I have for you and there will be no questions at this time. Thank you.”

This might not be word for word what Tiger says in his press conference tomorrow, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I have hit a lot of nails on the head here. Tiger has spent too much time in hiding to come out and not have an announcement for his return to golf. He might shock the world and say that he is taking the rest of the year off or that he and his wife are getting a divorce or something insane like that. But I would venture to say that he is going to do nothing more than announce his return to the game that pays for his house, boat(s), and cars. I wish Tiger the best of luck tomorrow and I cannot wait to hear what he has to say. As always, you have my support in whatever you decide to do.

What follows is a poem that was passed on to me by my favorite cousin. I call her my favorite cousin because, well, she is my only cousin, and after reading this she should be glad that she is my only one! As many of you know I am the single biggest Tiger Woods fan on the planet. Well, there might be someone out there that tops my dedication to the man, but I doubt it. So, when this recent media frenzy began I decided that I would wait until it was all over before I wrote my reactions on it. As you know, this is still going on with new women coming out of the woodwork and new allegations being spread about him and his personal life. So, this post is not my reaction to all of this but rather just the poem that was sent to me. Note that I do not laugh at the majority of the jokes that are being spread about him, nor do I approve with the lies that are being tossed around by sites such as TMZ and the National Enquirer. But, for those of you who are laughing I figure this might give you a little holiday chuckle. So sit back, grab a nice cup of eggnog, and read one writer’s reaction to the Tiger Woods scandal as he compares his saga to the holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy new year!

Twas the  night of Thanksgiving and out of the house
Tiger Woods came a flyin’, chased by his spouse.

She wielded  a nine iron and wasn’t too merry,
Cause a bimbo’s phone number was in his Blackberry.

He’d been cheatin’ on Elin, and the story progressed.
Woman after woman stepped up and confessed.

He’d been cheatin’ with Holly, and Jaimee, and Cori,
With Joselyn, and Kalika. The world had the story.

From the top of the Tour to the basement of blues,
Tiger’s sad sordid tale was all over the news.

With hostesses, waitresses, he had lots of sex,
When not in their pants, he was sendin’ them texts.

Despite all his cryin’ and beggin’ and pleadin’,
Tiger’s wife went investin’ — a new home in Sweden .

And I heard her exclaim from her white Escalade,
“If you’re gettin’ laid then I’m gettin’ paid.”

She’s not pouting, in fact, she is of jolly good cheer,
Her prenup made Christmas come early this year.

I remember growing up always listening to the radio to and from Terre Haute.  We would turn on 99.9 (the country station) or when we were feeling a little bit frisky we would check out 100.9 (the top 40 station).  Radio, over the years, has gone from being nothing but music to being all about everything else.  I challenge you to turn on the radio and see how long you can stomach not changing the station. You will be overwhelmed with commercials, headlines from the front page, and sports scores from last night’s high school football game.  But there is one interruption, if you manage to land on the right station that will keep your attention.  Enter the man with the oh so familiar voice, Mr. Paul Poteet. Why did I mention Terre Haute just a moment ago?  Well, that is where I first heard Paul’s voice.  He was talking about storm clouds and the humidity back then and has moved to a bigger market here in Indianapolis to do the same.  I took the chance to get to know Paul a little bit better not too long ago.  Sit back and learn for yourself who this trusted weatherman actually is.

(For those of you that do not know how Twitter works, messages that start with @paulpoteet are messages from me to the guest.  Messages that start with @rickyleepotts are his responses.  I have set a limit to 140 characters for this interview and all questions and answers must fit in 1 single tweet.  All of the messages you see have not been edited and are exactly as I received them.)

@PaulPoteet So you are a weather man, huh?

@rickyleepotts I’m #Indiana’s Weatherman. No other weather geek is more available on a screen or a speaker across the state.

@rickyleepotts And did I mention I have to be my own Promotional Department also?

@PaulPoteet No, I am not sure you mentioned that.  What are you trying to promote?

@rickyleepotts My content, which I try to make useful, interesting, or entertaining. And my various partners/collaborators.

@PaulPoteet My server at the Fox & Hound in Carmel wants to know if you are single? (Or is there a Mrs. Poteet?)

@rickyleepotts Mrs.P=my longest running partnership. 28 years Dec.12th. She’s my biggest fan. She sometimes ghost writes 4me. We’re in love.

@PaulPoteet Oh, I thought you were dating @smileyRadioShow.  My fault!  Do you like working with Dave and the gang?

@rickyleepotts NOW the interview is getting spicy. David & I hit it off upon the air the very 1st day we worked together. True story.

@PaulPoteet It is actually a TwitterView.  So, let’s not let that happen again!  So, what made you want to become a weather man?

@rickyleepotts I’ll digress 2 caution of the danger of elevating delivery system over content. But I do say PoTweetCAST.So TwitterView’s OK.

@rickyleepotts And to answer: I wanted to be a writer first. THen wanted to be on the radio. Then weather was in there somewhere.

So, @PaulPoteet, @peterhart wanted say hi. He’s a big fan. He also wants to know your thoughts on the recent Tiger Woods accident.

@rickyleepotts Hi Peter. I said earlier this eve that Tiger’s wife should take over security at the White House.

@PaulPoteet Only if she can use his clubs! What is the most challenging thing about being a weatherman?

@rickyleepotts This time of year. Incorrect precipitation forecast are most noticeable when they are shovel-able. Winter. NO question:)

@PaulPoteet I was just talking with @bradenjones and he wanted to know how you determine the high temperature for the day? Farmer’s Almanac?

@rickyleepotts Hey Braden–ZING! A mix of computer modeling and just plain old educated guessing.N the short term models r fairly reliable.

@PaulPoteet Do you ever think about doing the weather naked? (This is for the ladies, of course)

@rickyleepotts If Angela goes first. Or Sam Champion.

@PaulPoteet What is your favorite restaurant in Indianapolis?

Any one that signs up with Paul Poteet’s Gotta Eat Dot Com. (Thanks for the softball.) BTW: I do have to like the place b4 it gets on.)

@PaulPoteet Wow, that website does exist.  Impressive.  What is the last movie you saw?

Anywhere? The Great Escape w/Steve McQueen, et al… I’d never seen it b4, and it was excellent, inspiring, and 4shadowed “Hogan’s Heroes.”

@PaulPoteet So is this your first TwitterView?

@rickyleepotts Yes, and it’s been delightful, but “House” is on now. Good Night, everybody!

It was only a matter of time before this happened.  I am not so sure why so many of you out there are even surprised by this.  He makes a mere seven to ten million a year in tournament earnings but nets over one hundred million a year in sponsorship exemptions alone.  He also is the face of one of the most popular video games on the market as well as doing work with golf course architecture and the Tiger Woods Foundation.  (Just so we are clear, the Tiger Woods Foundation is a not-for-profit.  But, as you and I know, not-for-profit organizations still make a profit.  His profits are just not that of companies like Microsoft or Walmart.)  So when they announced this week that Tiger Woods was the first athlete to hit one billion dollars in career earnings it should have come as no surprise to any of you.

I think the more important thing to look at here is his age.  Tiger is only thirty-three years old.  Yeah, I know, he’s still extremely young.  He has been playing professional golf for over a decade but is only thirty-three.  He will be thirty-four years old by the time the next season starts, but he truly is getting better every single year.  Age does matter at this stage.  Tiger has an incredible career as a PGA Tour player; he has a wife that he loves very much and two incredible children.  This makes him have what I like to call the perfect family.

This year alone Tiger earned just over ten million dollars in tournament earnings.  That, of course, does not include appearance fees that he makes at nearly every tournament that he plays in, rather just the giant check that he receives on Sunday.  Speaking of ten million dollars, Tiger also won that amount for winning the season-long FedEx Cup last Sunday.  Let me get this straight.  He played all season and won just over ten million but played four weeks to win another ten?  Yeah, pretty good pay day for Tiger if I do say so myself.

Who is the one that decides how much Tiger has made?  Sure, it is public knowledge week in and week out what he makes on tour, but he is not really talking about his income from Nike, Wheaties, American Express, Buick, Target, and all of the other sponsors that cut him checks.  This does come from a trusted source.  Forbes is the one claiming that Tiger has surpassed this amount.  I trust this as not a year or so ago I read an article in Forbes Magazine regarding his net assets.  Tiger owns a huge boat, private jet, and an incredible mansion in Florida.  Yes, he owns them.  He paid for his land, house, boat, and everything else inside of it I imagine, with cash.  After all of these big purchases, not including what he had to pay Darius Rucker to play at his wedding, Tiger still had over five hundred million in the bank.  That was over five years ago that report was generated.  That is a lot of income since then and since nearly everything he owns is paid for it is going nowhere but in the bank.

This is a day to celebrate for Tiger, I am sure, becoming the highest paid athlete in any sport.  He continues to shut up critics every week on the golf course, and whether he wins or not, he will be the number one player in the world for the rest of his career.  The dollar bills are not why he plays (although they are a nice benefit of what he does), but rather the records that he can break with a golf club.  Once he surpasses Jack’s major total, as well as when he surpasses the most wins of all time, you will see Tiger slow down a little bit.  He just wants to make sure that when he makes his last putt and walks off his last green, in however many years that is from now, that no one mistakes him as anything but the greatest player to ever play the game.  There has never been a player like him nor will there ever be one like him in the future of the game.

Just last week I went on a vacation.  I started in Las Vegas, headed to the Grand Canyon, moved to Los Angeles, then to Palm Springs, down to Dana Point, and then back to LA to finish out the trip.  I did a ton of driving on my trip but managed to play some incredible golf courses and see some beautiful sights along the way.  I will, over the next few posts, be telling you about these golf courses and the sights and sounds that I saw.  I will begin today telling you about my round at the Revere Golf Club located just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, in scenic Henderson, Nevada.

The trip started in the Indianapolis airport just after 5:00 PM.  After multiple delays and numerous cups of coffee at the Indianapolis International Airport we managed to finally board about six hours late.  After finally arriving in Las Vegas just after midnight we grabbed the rental car and headed to our hotel to check in for the weekend.  We made our way to our room, ditched the bags, changed clothes, and headed out to the glorious Las Vegas strip.

After walking around and checking out some of the casinos we finally made our way to the poker tables at O’Sheas.  This is one my favorite places to play in Vegas as they have loose slots, beer pong tables, and an almost twenty-four hour happy hour.  With cheap drinks, friendly dealers, and four restaurants that never close in the back of the casino, it truly is a place where everyone wins.

We had been playing all night long when the sun began to peak over the mountains.  It was nearly 6:00 AM and I had an 8:00 tee time.  The course was just over a half an hour away from the hotel, and I needed to take a quick shower before I headed to the golf course.

When I arrived at the golf course it was just after 7:00 AM.  I was ready for a couple of cups of coffee and a snack before I headed out to the course.  When I stepped out of my car I was immediately greeted by an employee of the facility eager to grab my golf clubs and get my golf cart ready.  I headed in, took a seat, and grabbed a view of the Las Vegas strip as I drank my first cup of Joe.

After I finished my second cup I checked in at the front desk and headed to grab my golf cart to warm up for the round.  I was directed under a tunnel to the putting green.  I hit a few short putts, a couple of long ones, and was more excited to be playing this course with incredible mountain views than to practice my putting.  I grabbed my golf balls and headed to the driving range.

On the range I was greeted by the starter and directed to the end of the range.  Here I found a bag full of brand new, or what seemed like brand new, Callaway practice golf balls.  I hit a few wedges, a couple of eight irons, a handful of five irons, a few drivers, and back to the wedge.  After I was loose I headed to the chipping green and hit a few balls here before heading to the first tee.

When I arrived at the first tee three men from Hawaii greeted me.  One currently lived in southern California working for a liquor distributor, and the others held odd jobs on the islands.  Throughout the day they created invaluable conversation and became near friends by the end of the round.  While leaving the last green I actually handed each one of them business cards and was invited to the islands later in the year to play some golf on their home turf.

The golf course was absolutely perfect from tee to green.  The course was long, stretching through multiple housing editions and in and out and over mountains, but with golf carts we managed to make it through the day.  It was hot, hitting nearly 115 degrees around eleven that morning, and with little shade it made it quite difficult, but with water jugs spread throughout the golf course we stayed hydrated if nothing else.

From hole to hole I managed to throw a one over par for the front nine.  I had a few birdie putts, and even an eagle putt after I drove one of the greens, but managed one birdie on the front nine.  I didn’t care and told myself time and time again that no matter what, I had great company and beautiful scenery surrounded me.

I had a few good holes on the back, but with three putts on the back nine, I ended up with a four over par 39.  By the time the day was over I had three chances for eagle, all of which lead to pars.  But again, I could not care less what I shot, for the views and the photos that I got while on this golf course were incredible.

While walking in the clubhouse after my round, I saw scorecards from Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.  They had played the same course that I had played that day.  Granted, they both shot in the 60’s while I threw a near 80, but they had been on the same course as me.  That had not happened since the 2000 PGA Championship when I was a volunteer down at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky.  I did not play the course that week but I walked it just as they did.  But this time I had played from the same tee boxes and putted into the same holes as two of the best players on the planet.

The golf course was perfect.  The scenery was glorious.  The company was incredible.  This was a great day of golf, even though I had not slept the night before, and was a great Troon Golf experience.  It was actually my first Troon Golf experience.  But it would not be my last.

Here we go again.  Tiger Woods is up and at them this week for the kick off of the FedEx Cup at The Barclays.  Tiger is coming off one of the worst putting displays I have seen from him in a long time (he missed two putts within five feet) as well as one of the most conservative rounds I can remember him ever playing.  Tiger lost to Asian sensation Y.E. Yang.  Yang came in to the event having only played in seven previous majors, never making the cut in a single one, and managed to put himself in the final group on Sunday.  He came in firing at pins and having the time of his life.  You could tell from the smiles and high fives he was throwing around the golf course that he had nothing to lose.  If he lost, it was expected.  If he won, it would shock all of golf, as Tiger has never lost a major with a share of the lead or the lead going into the final round.  Adding to that record he has only lost two tournaments on the PGA Tour with the share or the lead on Sunday.

So Yang comes in and manages to pull out a miracle leaving Tiger shaking his head.  He missed putt after putt and managed to miss two greens on the back nine leading to lost shots and no chance at grabbing the Claret Jug.  It left Tiger upset and determined to spend the next two weeks getting ready for the final leg of the season, the FedEx Cup.  I personally hope that he spent it working on his short game.

In only it’s third year the FedEx Cup serves as a play off of sorts for the guys on the PGA Tour.  The guys play week in and week out collecting points for their position come the last four events of the regular season.  At first I was against this set up, but when Tiger only needed to play in three of the first four of these events, managing to win two of them and the first FedEx Cup, I was a little more open to the idea.  Tiger would sit out the next season due to his knee injury, but has returned this year ready to show the world of golf that he truly is back.  (As if five wins in only thirteen starts is not enough.)

This week is the first tournament of the FedEx Cup and is being held at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.  The purse is over seven million bucks and the course ranks as one of the longer ones on the PGA at just over 7,400 yards.  The winner alone will get $1.5 million so either way, even if you do not win the FedEx Cup but manage to win an event along the way, you are going to be set financially for a long time to come.

The FedEx Cup leaderboard shows pretty much what you would expect with Tiger’s name at the top.  Tiger played in only thirteen events this year.  He usually averages around fifteen to eighteen, but due to his knee was unable to play in some events and wanted to take some extra time to rest this season in fear of making the injury worse.  Granted, he had a stretch not too long ago where he played four weeks in a row, but still only grabbed thirteen starts.  I am not sure what is more impressive with this though.  Is that fact that he has the lead going into the FedEx Cup the biggest surprise or the fact that he has five wins in only thirteen starts a bigger shock?  By the way, outside of the five wins this season, he has eleven top ten’s.  And he missed a cut this year at the British Open.

So as Tiger makes his way around the course this week beware.  The rest of the guys know he is lurking.  Sure, he got beat by an unknown the last time he teed it up, but for Y.E. Yang and guys like him that was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Stuff like this does not happen every day and I would venture to say that it will not happen again.

So good luck, Tiger even though I am sure you will do just fine this week.  Y.E. is not playing so you have nothing to worry about.

So the WGC Bridgestone was this weekend in Akron, Ohio, at Firestone Country Club.  In the field this week were 49 of the top 50 players in the world competing for yet another WGC trophy.  (Can anyone tell me when the WGC was founded?)  Tiger, who has more titles in the WGC than I can count, was in the field this week vying for his seventh title at Firestone Country Club.  Tiger, coming off a win last week and a missed British Open cut the week before will be playing four weeks in row with the PGA Championship coming up next week.  This is the first time that I can remember since I have been watching Tiger, and I have been watching him since 1997, that he has played four tournaments in a row.

Tiger, having missed the cut in the British a couple of weeks ago, had something to prove last week when he went out and shot 20 under par to win his 69^th title.  This week, having won over 51% of the WGC events that he had entered to date, just wanted another win at Firestone, not to mention the addition to his WGC catalog of trophies.  Tiger, as usual, had a pretty rough start and managed to keep himself in the top half of the field on Thursday and Friday.  He played a little better on Saturday, making birdies on four of the last five holes, and squeezed himself into the final pairing on Sunday with the Irish born Padraig Harrington.

Tiger came into Sunday eyeing Paddy, 3 shots off the lead.  He had some major ground to make up and that is something that Tiger is not used to and quite frankly not something he is necessarily good at.  He rarely comes from behind to win on Sunday.  Having done so only a handful of times in regular season PGA events, he has never done it in a major.  And he has never lost while holding the lead or a share of the lead on Sunday.   How are those for some odds?

But Tiger came out of the gate swinging and managed to go four under in the first five holes with an eagle and some birdies while Paddy stayed at even par.  He was doing nothing wrong but Tiger was just doing everything right.  They would bounce back and forth and Tiger eventually found himself a shot back going into hole sixteen.  Tiger hit his drive into the deep rough and Paddy follows by going to the opposite side of the fairway in similar rough.  Tiger punches out and managed to throw his ball within a few inches giving him what some are already calling the best shot of his career.  (I beg to differ.  Tiger has hit some amazing shots in his time and will hit many more before his career is over.  This was a great shot, sure, but not the best of his career by any means.)

So Padraig had a chance to match him by hitting it close but sent the ball over the green and damn near into the grand stands.  He then proceeds to hit out of there, after a free drop away from the bleachers, and sends it right into the drink.  By the time the hole was over Tiger now had a three shot lead over Paddy and only had two holes left to play.

By the end of the day Tiger was holding his seventh victory at Firestone and his 70^th victory on the PGA Tour.  Tiger is only thirty-three years old (yes, I know that I mention that every time I talk about Tiger) and has seventy wins.  Jack did not hit seventy wins until he was in his forties.  Tiger has the chance to actually pass Jack’s win total this year as he has a handful of events left.  Remember Tiger has the FedEx Cup to worry about.  (He did not win the FedEx Cup last year, in it’s second year, but that was due to his knee injury.)  There is no doubt in my mind that he will surpass Jack next year if not this year.

So this is just yet another victory and another reason as to why Tiger Woods is the greatest player on the planet.  But the thing today that really got to me, besides the fact that he said a few too many cuss words, was how he acted when he left the 18^th green.

Tiger finished the day with a birdie and showed zero sign of emotion.   He was not happy, sad, or indifferent.  He actually looked more pissed off than anything.  He shook Paddy’s hand and the caddies, did a short interview on the green, and went to the scorer’s tent.  He walked off looking like he had lost, not just “won” his 70^th event.  (I say, “won”, as he in reality did not win that, Harrington lost it.  Had he have not hit the ball in the water we would have had a different man holding the trophy.)  But why was Tiger so upset?

Tiger and Padraig were rushed.  They were forced by unapologetic rules officials to increased their speed of play or suffer a two shot penalty for slow play.  They were told on hole fifteen that they were falling too far behind the group in front of them and needed to step up the pace.  Tiger even walked down the sixteenth fairway arguing with the rules official saying that they were not taking any more time than usual.  (Hey Rick Reiley, are you going to have a fit about that too?)

Harrington is not blaming the rules officials, after all rules are rules, but he said that the fact they were being forced to rush around the last few holes is a major contributing factor to him hitting such errant shots.  Even on the seventeenth and eighteenth holes they both were hitting it all over the place.  Of course, until Tiger stuck his second shot on eighteen to a matter of feet.

So regardless of how the event turned out, it is Tiger’s pure nobility that I applaud.  Sure, he has a temper.  Sure, he gets mad, slams a club (or microphone) here and there.  He even orders his caddy to use force if need be to shut up the bystanders.  But at the end of the golf tournament this past Sunday he walked up to Paddy and basically said Padraig deserved that trophy, not him, and that he was sorry that they were put on the clock in such a heated battle of golf shots.

Tiger knows he did not deserve that golf tournament.  But I guess that is how the cookie crumbles or how the ball rolls, huh?  So as Tiger enters the last stretch of the season he is at seventy and only three back of Jack.  (Do I sense some sort of marketing campaign in that?)

Need I say more?  Sure, he missed the cut at the British Open.  But does that stop him from coming back with guns blazing?  No, not at all.  So for all of you doubters and haters out there, here is just another reason why Tiger Woods is the number one player in the world and will be until the day he retires.

Tiger won again.  Are you surprised?  I’m not.  He comes into the Buick Open, an old sponsor of Tiger actually, having been dropped due to decreased car sales, after missing the cut in his last event, the British Open.  Granted, the field this past week at the Buick was not one filled with Phils and Cinks, but none the less it was still four rounds of golf and a he still had to post some decent scores to find himself at the top of the leaderboard.  Of course, coming off a first round starring at only one under par, he was a little nervous about how the rest of the week would pan out.  But that did not stop him for going 19 under the next three days.  Yeah, I said that correct.  Tiger finished the tournament at 20 under par.  (That is a lot of stinking birdies for those of you that do not watch and or play golf.)

Hey Rick Reiley, Tiger got mad this week.  Did you see that?  He slammed a club down after hitting a ball into the water, on hole thirteen I believe.  Are you going to write an article calling him a baby and a poor sport?  I mean, come on Rick, think of the children.

(Can you tell that I was bitter back there?  Rick Reiley, famed sports writer, recently called Tiger a handful of names and basically belittled Tiger for having a temper.  You can find my reaction a couple of pages back on this blog and you can search for it on Yahoo! Sports to see his reaction.  However you look at it he was out of line to say those things about Tiger.  OK, I am better now.)

This week was a test for Tiger.  It was a test for many reasons, actually.  The first being that he is fresh off a missed cut at the British.   So if nothing else he was rested. But the second is that he is not hitting his driver all that well.  He made some severe swing changes coming off his surgery at the start of this year, and has switched to a new Nike driver. (I hated it when he left Titleist but I guess dollar bills speak louder than fairways) at the end of last season.  The driver, granted, is not the reason that he is missing so many fairways, but it is easy to blame equipment changes on a turn of missed carpets.)

The PGA Championship is coming up in a couple of weeks, and having not won a major this year (he took eight months off so give him a break) and missed a cut in one he has to shut some mouths with a decent finish, better yet a win in the PGA.  He has the talent, that is obvious, but does he have his mind back in the position to win a major?  It sure doesn’t look like it to me at this point.

Tiger is only thirty-three years old.  I keep going back to that, as this is a big deal when it comes to expectations.  Everyone thinks he needs to win every tournament he enters and he doesn’t, all he cares about are the two (perhaps three) records that Jack currently holds.  Tiger will be, if he retired tomorrow, the best player ever to swing a club, but he wants those records.  He wants more majors than anyone in the history of the game.  And he wants more tournament wins than anyone has ever has as well.  Again, he wants more than anyone ever will win.  The third, and more than likely the one that will never happen, is holding all four majors in the same season.  Like I have said before, he had them all at once, but not in the same year.  No one has ever done that and quite frankly I am not sure anyone ever will.

So to all of you haters out there, shut up.  I am sick and tired of hearing you talk about Tiger being in a slump or Tiger having hit his peak.  He has not it his peak, and he is quite a few years from it actually.  He will win more majors.  He will win more tournaments, and he will make more money than you and I can even count before his career is over.  So unless you are trying to make yourself feel better about your game by saying he is in a slump, shut your damn mouths.