Tiger's slide from grace -- is there a parallel in pool?

Bigjohn...I have to respectfully disagree. In the past 10 years, Tiger has deliberately changed his swing three times. Each time he came back to play better than the last time. He will recover from his 'personal issues' here too. How long it will take is anyone's guess...but I will say with conviction that he is not "over" in golf...and have to agree with Tate that he is best ever seen in the game...so far.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Tiger was having swing problems before he fell prey to the Ho's. You can see it if you look back at older videos. Not sure what happened. The knee injury could have caused it, not sure but his swing has never recovered. Can't think of a pool player to compare.
 
On further consideratioin

One other thing to considere: Tiger is much more muscular now than the skinny kid who turned pro in the '90s. Gotta wonder if he succumbed to steroids, seeking more distance off the tees.

At the same time, it seems obvious that drugs have done in more than a couple top-ranked pool players.
 
One other thing to considere: Tiger is much more muscular now than the skinny kid who turned pro in the '90s. Gotta wonder if he succumbed to steroids, seeking more distance off the tees.

At the same time, it seems obvious that drugs have done in more than a couple top-ranked pool players.

That "gotta" seems rather choiceful to me. While you are considering things, you might want to add in they drug test on the PGA and Tiger has voluntarily been drug tested for steroids among other things at least twice, not that that would stop suspicions, facts seldom do.

Thanks

Kevin
 
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Tiger was the for sure, without a doubt the #1 player in the world. There are few players you can even look at to compare to really because you are not talking a Michael Coltraine or Jon Kucharo level player, you are instead talking an Efren Reyes, Mike Sigel, Earl Strickland level of player.

I can think of few who have slipped to the degree that Tiger has, while still in what should be their prime years for competition. Afew people who I would say are pretty big falls.

Allen Hopkins: This is a guy who was right there at the top of the game in the early 80's. He seemed to go from top 5 status to nowhere in a short period of time where age should not have been a factor.

Corey Deuel: He still shoots great, but in his early 20's when he won the US Open he became the #1 player in the world at a super young age and it looked like he would be one of the most dominant players in the world for the next 20+ years. I and alot of other people were expecting a lot of dominance from Deuel, a career of wins and high finishes every year like we saw from Efren or Earl in their primes. Instead he really fell off, still a quality player but nothing like what I expected from him.

Those two are as close to Tiger as pool has to offer IMO. Neither were quite THAT clearly the #1 player and nowhere near for that long. In truth if a players name is not Earl, Efren, Mike, Luther, or Buddy you cannot call them a "Tiger Woods at his peak" type of player, and none of those guys had a fall like Tiger in their prime so noone in pool is even close to a story like Tiger.
 
Tiger was the for sure, without a doubt the #1 player in the world. There are few players you can even look at to compare to really because you are not talking a Michael Coltraine or Jon Kucharo level player, you are instead talking an Efren Reyes, Mike Sigel, Earl Strickland level of player.

I can think of few who have slipped to the degree that Tiger has, while still in what should be their prime years for competition. Afew people who I would say are pretty big falls.

Allen Hopkins: This is a guy who was right there at the top of the game in the early 80's. He seemed to go from top 5 status to nowhere in a short period of time where age should not have been a factor.

Corey Deuel: He still shoots great, but in his early 20's when he won the US Open he became the #1 player in the world at a super young age and it looked like he would be one of the most dominant players in the world for the next 20+ years. I and alot of other people were expecting a lot of dominance from Deuel, a career of wins and high finishes every year like we saw from Efren or Earl in their primes. Instead he really fell off, still a quality player but nothing like what I expected from him.

Those two are as close to Tiger as pool has to offer IMO. Neither were quite THAT clearly the #1 player and nowhere near for that long. In truth if a players name is not Earl, Efren, Mike, Luther, or Buddy you cannot call them a "Tiger Woods at his peak" type of player, and none of those guys had a fall like Tiger in their prime so noone in pool is even close to a story like Tiger.


tap, tap, tap.
 
That "gotta" seems rather choiceful to me. While you are considering things, you might want to add in they drug test on the PGA and Tiger has voluntarily been drug tested for steroids among other things at least twice, not that that would stop suspicions, facts seldom do.

Thanks

Kevin

They don't test for HGH and Tiger was linked to a doctor known for giving it to athletes.

http://www.businessinsider.com/anthony-galea-alex-rodriguez-tiger-woods-drugs-2011-7

I'm not saying he took HGH, but there is definitely reason for suspicion. Too much muscle mass for his ligaments and tendons could explain his knee problems too. Even his friends said he fell in love with the long ball, Barry Bonds anyone?
 
Hi everyone.....sorry I havnt been here all summer....golf had me in her icy clutches for the summer once again, but like every year...I get about 1/2 way thru the season and my wrist gives out from practicing like a mental patient....relegating me to the couch to watch the PGA :) the good thing is I will finish this year at a 5.5 handicap, AND I hit balls every day down the basement on my table.

I agree with most everything you guys have posted here so far. What always makes me laugh is this....no matter how GREAT a person plays golf, pool, tiddlywinks etc.....they are ALWAYS searching for the next level!

Like many people ask....why the frig is Tiger changing the arguably best overall game ever built in golf?.....well, IMO its trying to play for the next 10 years and have the body hold up so he can catch Jack.

But, I bet he wakes up every day like the rest of us and asks.....how can I get better today! I just think he is getting in his own way with all the BS, coaches, psychologists, etc....just go have fun and play el tigre!

nice to read all the AZ threads again......

Gerry
 
There is one certain athlete i can think of that went from the top of the world to bottom of the barrel easily equal to that of Tiger....Mike Tyson, everybody thinks he let himself go just like they are saying Tiger did all I can say to that is BULLSH*T. As far as Tiger goes its all mental hes going through so much in his personal life right now trying to perform ANYTHING at a high level is just pointless. As far as Tyson goes he was ruined by that low life don king who brain washed him and tried turning him into a play boy, unlike his first trainer/manager/friend who taught him humility and when he died and don king came around and totally ruined him. Anybody who doesnt agree look up the stats, when king became his manager is when Tyson really fell off.
 
Karma is a b-tch! And Tiger is getting a real strong dose of that right now. :yes:
Karma is the best way to describe it. A few years ago he was "assured" of breaking Jack Nicklaus' 18 major championships. Now, it don't look so good. Then the general public learned something about how "in stroke" he really was/is? It reminds me of the ole Clarence Carter song. Has there been a more "disappointing" athletic mental breakdown? Beautiful Wife, nice family, beautiful children. The "inner" Alley Cat in him took over.
How much money has he lost??? Ya can't recover that. And his Rep has taken a HUGE hit. Especially among the finer version of our species.
 
i am not into golf anymore but a friend of mine who is, tells me that among his other problems, (x wife, golf probs), he is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the $100 million to his "X", just finished a $60 million house, and all the sponsors but 1 have dropped him. it would be hard for anyone to concentrate on their game with that kind of stress, and probably less chances to put "A" into "B"....just saying....
 
i am not into golf anymore but a friend of mine who is, tells me that among his other problems, (x wife, golf probs), he is on the verge of bankruptcy because of the $100 million to his "X", just finished a $60 million house, and all the sponsors but 1 have dropped him. it would be hard for anyone to concentrate on their game with that kind of stress, and probably less chances to put "A" into "B"....just saying....

For more on this angle, see this:

http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/07/15/is-tiger-woods-running-out-of-money/
 
Looks as though Mr. Woods won't make the cut in the PGA. Pool is often compared to golf as a hand-eye sport. Can you name a pool champion whose game plummeted as fast as Tiger's?

Took Freddie Couples about seven years to get back on track after his divorce.
 
One other thing to considere: Tiger is much more muscular now than the skinny kid who turned pro in the '90s. Gotta wonder if he succumbed to steroids, seeking more distance off the tees.

At the same time, it seems obvious that drugs have done in more than a couple top-ranked pool players.

There are allot of great players that coulda/shoulda been at the top, but our world has NO top like the PGA.........YET. But I always felt, happy and sad to see a young player from the US win the US Open, why? A few years back there was no higher goal you could reach, now, matters are evolving. But many US Open Champs have/had dwindled after their pinnacle, Reed Pierce comes to mind, not dwindling, but no other mountains to climb, and the cost and risk are huge in pool to win when traveling. Of the PGA players that make the cut for Sat/Sun, what's the average payout for who finishes last in this group, I'm sure it at least pays expenses and gives some positive cash flow.
 
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Bigjohn...I have to respectfully disagree. In the past 10 years, Tiger has deliberately changed his swing three times. Each time he came back to play better than the last time. He will recover from his 'personal issues' here too. How long it will take is anyone's guess...but I will say with conviction that he is not "over" in golf...and have to agree with Tate that he is best ever seen in the game...so far.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

He will be back, no doubt. A lot of times when you go to fixing or tweaking something that is not really broke... you lose it. I think he will be sleeping one night and sit straight up in bed and say... that's it... and he will know the answer. I think his fix will come from within and not from a caddy or trainer. He is far from gone. He will click!
 
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