Interesting Tiger Hypothesis

[Bravo]

I had a fun round today...this was my round with my old friend who only started playing 3-4 years ago. It was a blast - I did not score well (85) but had such a great time..

I lined up two other guys from one of my regular groups - by email. Both are doctors and I had played with one of them several times, but I had never actually played a round with the other one. He was a friendly sort who introduced himself on the range. About 5'8" and 160 lbs and frankly - he looked kind of "doctorish"with glasses and such.

We teed off and this guy is just smoking the ball...he hit a water-carry Par 5 with Driver and two iron (missed the putt). On another par 5 on the back - he had a chip that hit the pin and bounced away - for birdie. The man (extremely unasssuming both physically and in demeanor) has Got Game. Finished with three birdies and a handsome 74.

We finish and go in the grill. He is fielding a steady stream of calls on his cell about patients. I dont know how many of you have experience in understanding what Psychiatrists do...I used to think they spent a lot of time in 'psychotherapy' listening to patients and this was their primary job. I was wrong. While they Do spend time doing this - their primary function is Drug Managers. Writing scripts and managing multiple medications for mentally ill patients. The usually leave the 'psychotherapy' stuff to the Psychologists...

So here we are in the grill having a beer. They guy is a really legitimate golfer and a practicing doc.

My buddy brings up Tiger and his behavior - not only at the USOpen yesterday, but in the past 2-3 years. He says he thinks that Tiger has had a change in behavior - that he did not act this way when he was dominant back in 99.

The doc says..."I'll bet you $1000 the guy is on steroids. I know what it looks like, I have seen it in my practice and he is using steroids."

Man - I start thinking about this and I think it is very plausable.

He explains that virtually every American football and baseball player (a al Jose Canseco) is on steroids and their bodies reflect it. He then says that if you take a smaller dose, you do bulk up but not nearly as much and while your behavior is not as aggressive, you see subtle changes. He indicated that the most frequently seen behavioral change when on a small/moderate dosage of steroids is an "aggressive reaction to frustrating situations". Sounds so terribly medical - doesn't it? And it really describes how Tiger Woods acts now - vs. five years ago...

What do you think?

[Slingblade61]

Oh, my God.......

Tiger Woods on steroids!

You heard it here first folks!

Yup. I'm no expert but it does make alot of sense.......It will be interesting to see if there is any sterility involved, you know he wants kids, we'll have to see if any are forthcoming in the next couple of years.

[bdcrowe]

Originally Posted by Bravo

I had a fun round today...this was my round with my old friend who only started playing 3-4 years ago. It was a blast - I did not score well (85) but had such a great time..

I lined up two other guys from one of my regular groups - by email. Both are doctors and I had played with one of them several times, but I had never actually played a round with the other one. He was a friendly sort who introduced himself on the range. About 5'8" and 160 lbs and frankly - he looked kind of "doctorish"with glasses and such.

We teed off and this guy is just smoking the ball...he hit a water-carry Par 5 with Driver and two iron (missed the putt). On another par 5 on the back - he had a chip that hit the pin and bounced away - for birdie. The man (extremely unasssuming both physically and in demeanor) has Got Game. Finished with three birdies and a handsome 74.

We finish and go in the grill. He is fielding a steady stream of calls on his cell about patients. I dont know how many of you have experience in understanding what Psychiatrists do...I used to think they spent a lot of time in 'psychotherapy' listening to patients and this was their primary job. I was wrong. While they Do spend time doing this - their primary function is Drug Managers. Writing scripts and managing multiple medications for mentally ill patients. The usually leave the 'psychotherapy' stuff to the Psychologists...

So here we are in the grill having a beer. They guy is a really legitimate golfer and a practicing doc.

My buddy brings up Tiger and his behavior - not only at the USOpen yesterday, but in the past 2-3 years. He says he thinks that Tiger has had a change in behavior - that he did not act this way when he was dominant back in 99.

The doc says..."I'll bet you $1000 the guy is on steroids. I know what it looks like, I have seen it in my practice and he is using steroids."

Man - I start thinking about this and I think it is very plausable.

He explains that virtually every American football and baseball player (a al Jose Canseco) is on steroids and their bodies reflect it. He then says that if you take a smaller dose, you do bulk up but not nearly as much and while your behavior is not as aggressive, you see subtle changes. He indicated that the most frequently seen behavioral change when on a small/moderate dosage of steroids is an "aggressive reaction to frustrating situations". Sounds so terribly medical - doesn't it? And it really describes how Tiger Woods acts now - vs. five years ago...

What do you think?

I think this sounds very plausable, actually. I worked with a body builder who is/was very up on roids and he pretty much mirrored those comments about smaller doses physically and emotionally. I just never put them into the Tiger context.

[KB1982]

Might be a stretch to say that virtually every American Baseball and Football player is on roids. I don't think that Tiger's on roids, but everyone has their own theory on his 'slump'.

[VtDivot]

Originally Posted by KB1982

Might be a stretch to say that virtually every American Baseball and Football player is on roids. I don't think that Tiger's on roids, but everyone has their own theory on his 'slump'.

?????? I don't think B was referring to his slump, but rather his change in demeanor from the drugs he may or may not be taking (according to inside sources at ST)

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by VtDivot

?????? I don't think B was referring to his slump, but rather his change in demeanor from the drugs he may or may not be taking (according to inside sources at ST)

Yes...nobody was talking about his play. We were talking about an individual who went for years with almost perfect manners and ettiquette - who now fairly regularly has on-course 'temper-tantrums'.

He also said,' You see how often you read about football and baseball players getting into bar fights? They are on so much steroids that if you look at them wrong after a couple of beers, they are looking for a fight and will provoke it. But the lighter dosage does not make the user provoke an incident, but the first sign is they have a very hard time handling situations that are frustrating.'

It could make sense...he can handle all the media and day to day situations with aplomb but when something oncourse goes wrong - it sets him off.

I thought it very plausible.

[PingZing2]

This is actually somewhat funny. I was watching an interview with Jose Canseco the other day and they were talking about roids and its affect on professional sports today. He says that when he was on heavy doses of steriods that in a pro-am tourny he had a 449 yard drive. He said that he though golf was going to be the next sport to be under scrutiny. He also stated that people would be suprised how many of the worlds TOP golfers are using. I never put two and two together?

[P_102]

an "aggressive reaction to frustrating situations" was exactly how I was many, many times........when I was married!

I'm not saying he has a bad marriage, just that it's possible he sometimes misses being single and not having someone else take up his "alone" time....he couldn't have much to spare anyway.

Personally, I don't think he'd chance ruining a great career w/ steroids. And his Dad wouldn't put up with it either.

P_102

[PingZing2]

I am not saying he is. I am just saying that I can see how these athletes may do them. The are under extreme pressure to be the best. They have multi million dollar contracts, they may lose if they aren't on top of the game. At this time catching someone on the PGA for using would be next to impossible. Just a though but would Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds put there records on the line for Steriod use? Would olympic atheletes sacrifce medals? If you follow baseball, you can see that affect that steriods have had. This under very strict guidelines for steriod use, batting averages have dropped, HR's have dropped,etc. Is it because pitchers are that much better, no. I am just saying that anything is possible.

[longiron]

Originally Posted by VtDivot

?????? I don't think B was referring to his slump, but rather his change in demeanor from the drugs he may or may not be taking (according to inside sources at ST)

To be honest i have not seen him do anything in the last couple of years that he hasnt always done. Couldnt it be that he is human and just gets pissed when he makes a bad shot?

[PingZing2]

Not Possible. Anyone that good cannot be human.

[VtDivot]

On another interesting note.


In read an article that said in 1999 skinny Tiger was around 170 lbs. His "official" website now has him listed as 6'2" and 185lbs. Looking at his back, shoulders and arms, I would say that's a load of crap. This dude is jacked. I'd say he weighs around 200.

I might be way off, but even being conservative I'd say he's added about 25 pounds of muscle. That's very impressive for an athlete of any kind let alone a golfer

[dave.]

The marriage theory above seems just as credible.His missus might be a right cow when it comes to practicing putting on the carpet.

[Youngun5]

tiger just isn't that type of guy,
comes from too good of a family, surrounded by too many good people

could be his wife, heck, could be 'roids, maybe its people like us and the press constantly talking about his every move and action,

just doesn't pan out how he would complain about illegal drivers while taking 'roids

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by VtDivot

On another interesting note.


In read an article that said in 1999 skinny Tiger was around 170 lbs. His "official" website now has him listed as 6'2" and 185lbs. Looking at his back, shoulders and arms, I would say that's a load of crap. This dude is jacked. I'd say he weighs around 200.

I might be way off, but even being conservative I'd say he's added about 25 pounds of muscle. That's very impressive for an athlete of any kind let alone a golfer

That is the second factor the doc mentioned...He said the same thing - that Tiger had added a great deal of bulk in a short period of time and that maintaining that amount of bulk would take a great deal of gym time. He figured that Tiger would not want to sacrifice practice time for excessive time in the gym and to maintain bulk like that - therefore he theorized the steroids...