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Interesting Tiger Hypothesis

Rockford35

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Steriods help you sink putts. Honest.

Anyone can hit the ball 300 yards if they have the swingspeed and timing. I can, and i'm not Tiger.

But, I can't sink 10 40 footers in a 4 day span to win a tournament. Putting is golf. Everyone forgets that. Everyone thinks that if you can bomb it 400 yards, that will somehow magically make you the best putter in the world.

Sorry, that dog don't hunt. Tiger may be on steroids, and that may explain his slump, but steriods don't make you a good golfer.

Do you honestly think that Boobs Montgomerie and Man Handles Mickelson are on steriods?

I rest my case.

R35
 

Youngun5

Beware of the Phog!
Aug 26, 2004
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well said rock, i just don't think steroids would give him the physique he's looking for, those nike blades have the sweetspot of a pinhead and he nails them every time, can't do that on steroids...
 

Kilted Arab

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Apr 30, 2005
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dave. said:
The marriage theory above seems just as credible.His missus might be a right cow when it comes to practicing putting on the carpet.

Tiger won his first major in 9 (10?) attempts AFTER getting married. And he's now second in his 2nd major since getting married.

Seems marriage has helped him.
 

Loop

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Aug 27, 2004
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As long as I've seen Tiger play, he's always the same grouchy one when his shots miss. Tiger is a perfectionist. Some of my golf friends are perfectionists and they get frustrated when their shots don't go exactly as planned. But they certainly not on steroids. And neither is Tiger. I wouldn't say he gets more frustrated than before, he's the same ol.
And the last few years, he's managed to smile a lot more.
 

Kilted Arab

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Apr 30, 2005
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Loop said:
As long as I've seen Tiger play, he's always the same grouchy one when his shots miss. Tiger is a perfectionist. Some of my golf friends are perfectionists and they get frustrated when their shots don't go exactly as planned. But they certainly not on steroids. And neither is Tiger. I wouldn't say he gets more frustrated than before, he's the same ol.
And the last few years, he's managed to smile a lot more.

agreed....
 

Robert

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Jun 3, 2005
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I don't think that he is on stoids. But at the Masters on the 18th hole, they had the camra behind him, and my friend said he deffinitly has to be on them with muscles and a back that big. He is much larger than he was when he was an amature and even in 1999.
 
OP
Bravo

Bravo

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Rock:

Go back to the original post. The doc never said that steriods help in any phase of the game.

He simply said that the combination of his more aggressive behavior and considerably more bulky frame lead him to believe that Tiger was on steroids. Nothing related to performance - or lack thereof.
 

Rockford35

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Bravo,

I follow you. Looking back at my post, I may have hinted at that, but what I gathered from your original post was that Tiger isn't winning/performing well because he's on the juice, from what the doc said. I mean, if it does nothing for performance whatsoever, why do them then?

And his behavior (which I think has been the same since day one, just focused on more nowadays because he's not winning as often, but that's my opinion) is a direct sign of that, according to the doc.

What I was trying to say (maybe as a tangent, not to refute your post, sorry if that's how it came accross) was that being big and strong gives no merit to skill and mental parts of the game. Remember guys like Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen? Those guys used to RAGE when they effed up on the course. But they weren't on roids. I think that's a pretty safe assumption.

I think without any medical proof, it's pretty hard to speculate one way or another. Of course, because it's a buzzword, he would be. I went to highschool with a guy (East Indian, just for background) who weighed maybe 145 when we graduated. He's about 6'. A rail. He hit the gym and about 5 years later, he's easily 225 and solid, absolutely drug free. He's pretty religious and stays clear of alot of that sort of thing because of it.

Now, could it be that Tiger has a great trainer for strength and muscle mass building and now he's starting to get some size to him?

I'm not questioning the doc from your original post, just maybe stating that there are cases when what seems too good to be true really is just good old fashioned hard work. And being that Tiger obviously has the build for such a physique, he's a lucky man. It's been well documented that Tiger was the guy (save a couple others) that hit the gym hard in 1998 in preparation of winning golf tournaments and spawned a huge wave of golfers that wanted and needed strength training to keep up. Now guys are at the gym 5 days a week because guys like Tiger are always kicking their asses. And, after a few years of strength and stamina training, they're starting to even out the game a bit.

Which is great for us fans. :canadafla

R35
 

KB1982

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Jun 10, 2005
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Well it does say in the latest Golf Magazine that Tiger has a 29" inch waist. I wonder what the tour average is... 36"? :) Of course Daly and Stadler must push the average up a bit.

I misread what was intiatially written. The reason I don't think he's on roids or ever did roids is because like the other poster said, Tiger's a perfectionist. They show him practicing all the time. The only golfer they constantly talk about in the media to practice and work on his game as much is probably Vijay. Good reason they're #1 and 2 in the world. While I'm sure Tiger might slack a bit if he starts to have kids, he seems to work hard at his game. I'm sure he'd want a day to have more then 24 hours, so he can be practicing more.

Another reason I see is consider the constant media attention to him. He's under the microscope moreso then say a Michael Jordan during his time. Compare basketball, a team sport, where blame can be put on your teammates, to Golf where it's a individual sport. Can't really blame the course can you? (Though I'm sure a lot of us do...) And he's under more scrutiny then say Jack was during his prime. While you see pictures and hear stories of pro athletes living somewhat of a normal life back then, I'm sure Tiger can't go out much in public due to all the attention he gets. And he's more or less Golf's golden child. He literally makes or breaks the tour. It's proven that the ratings of PGA events are higher when he's in the field, even more when he's in contention on the final day. I'm sure when the ratings come out for the US Open they'll be relatively high since Tiger was in contention. While it seems that Phil and even John Daly are more of fan favorites to the avid golf fan, the casual viewer is attracted to Tiger.

Combine the work ethic with all the media attention and I can see where his frustration comes out.
 

Farquod

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Mar 8, 2005
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Really interesting. While I agree that Tiger's attitude hasn't changed much since he began winning majors, that he's always had a high degree of gym discipline, and that he's now fully mature, which also can pack on the pounds (though usually around the waist!), it is also true that he has been frustrated by his inability to win majors during his drought, and was stung by being passed by so many players in driving distance (which is no longer the case. Just the driver switch?). Also, he is a perfectionist, and thinks he is smarter than just about anyone else out there; that's just the right attitude for using any agent/strategy that's a bit risky (ie, well, they may screw up, but I can handle it...it's only risky if you don't do it right...yada yada).

Pretty compelling possibility.
 
OP
Bravo

Bravo

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The intent of my post was not accuse him or alledge that he was on them.

As the title says, it's a "theory".

The four of us are sitting around a table after our round and Tiger's behaviour comes up - again. The doc is mild-mannered and simply mentions his thoughts that the combination of borderline aggressive behavior accompanied by a much bulkier frame could mean steroid usage.

Overall I am still a Tiger fan and think he has been great for golf. Conversely, I am very disappointed in his behavior. Millions of golfers - especially kids - look up to him. IN this regard, he sets The Standard for play and behaviour...

It was idle chit chat that I found quite plausible though..as we talked about it he had another call on the cell....
 

bdcrowe

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Aug 30, 2004
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Suffice it to say that I enjoy the level of play that Tiger is capable of giving the viewing public. I am, however, critical of his behavior. A telling sign on that front happened this weekend. Most everyone here knows that my son is in the 1st tee. They teach golf, golf etiquette and life skills, etc... He has gone to 2 weeks.

This weekend, while watching the US Open on and off, we are walking through the yard and he says he doesn't like Tiger anymore. It turns out Devin is judging Tiger against the on-course criteria that the 1st tee teaches 8 yr olds before letting them on-course for lessons the first time. According to Devin, Tiger fails. So, I looked in his pamphlet for the code of conduct he signed for participation. The golfers code of conduct, the one which they expect even 8 year olds to understand and adhere to, follows:

I will come prepared to learn and interact with other participants in a fun and respectful manner.

I will not tease other participants if I do better than they do in performing a golf or life skill.

I will do my best to stay positive even when I am not doing as well as I like.

I will not brag about how well I am doing when my performance is outstanding.

I will do my best to focus my attention on the intention of the activities I am asked to complete.

I will handle all equipment safely. I will be careful not to damage property or injur another participant or coach with my club or ball.

I will not throw my club or bang it into the ground or against or into my bag.

I will use only appropriate language.

I will not touch any person or equipment without permission.

listen, ask questions, yadda yadda yadda...

I think Devin had seen Tiger's antics about dragging the putter into the green after missing a putt, and then heard Johnny Miller's mentionj of the word Tiger used yesterday. I had to try not to laugh, as Devin seems to think Tiger wouldn't make it in the 1st tee program.
 

Farquod

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Mar 8, 2005
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My mom, who is 76, agrees with Devin. She has been a non-Tiger fan for several years now (before his "slump"), noting how much he "pouts and mopes."

She likes Phil and Freddie, FWIW.
 

DaveE

The golfer fka ST Champ
Aug 31, 2004
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bd, you should have Devin send an email to Tiger explaining proper behavior and why he is no longer a fan. And of course be sure to tell him he learn this at 1st Tee. It wouldn't change anything but it couldn't hurt.

It wouldn't surprise me if there were a few tour players taking roids. The pressure to excel is huge at that level. High school kids are doing it so there's a pretty good chance pros in just about every sport are too.

Interesting theory regarding Tiger. Most people couldn't add that much muscle and maintain a 29" waist so he must be using. Of course there's no way to know but he reinforces the theory everytime he gets pissed.

It's like what Lance Armstrong has dealt with since beating cancer and then winning all those races. Sure he's passed 50 drug tests in a row but he must be using because no else has ever done what he's doing.

They're probably both using and just too smart to get caught. ;)
 

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