Tiger Woods: Is He Really a Fallen 'Hero'?

Of course the Tiger Woods scandal is disappointing. Adultery always is. When marital betrayal occurs, it isn't just the spouse who tastes the bitterness. Think of the children, the close family friends, the business partners, the neighbors. Adultery is like that. Its foulness isn't confined. Prostitution may be viewed as the oldest profession, but adultery is the oldest form of betrayal. Choose an era and select any civilization and adultery is there. Somewhere.

The more difficult observation about the circumstances surrounding Woods is that American culture has rewarded outward competence in just about everything. In Woods' case, we publicly serenaded his mastery of golf and cheered him as he reached a pinnacle where his competition was virtually just himself. We've done the same thing with political, business and entertainment leaders. They need only mouth a specific political ideology, resurrect a company from financial ashes or direct a great movie to be showered with book deals, outrageous bonuses and film awards. We often treat these leaders as if they were heroes.

If Woods is a hero who fell from grace, from where did he fall? While I'm saddened by his choice of adultery, horrified by the news of a revised prenup so that his wife will stay with him, I have to ask: Did Woods not fulfill what we slavishly awarded him? We awarded his skill at golf. We did not award his skill as a faithful husband. Personal character is not foremost in our thoughts in the capitalistic process of endorsements and media accolades. Everybody just wants to get paid. Maybe we should examine why we carelessly anoint leaders as heroes when all they have shown is physical strength or mental acumen. A hero is a person of convictions. Honorable men and women stand out in a lifetime and reveal their love, forgiveness, loyalty, self-sacrifice, and trustworthiness in the daylight and in the shadows. They are not perfect, but they seek forgiveness openly and labor to do good even if no human being acknowledges their progress. These are the ones we should seek to imitate, study and introduce to our children.

One of Woods' friends, Charles Barkley, famously said he was not a role model. He was right. But was Barkley a great power forward in the NBA? Absolutely. Did Woods and his other friend, Michael Jordan, transcend their respective games? You can bet your Masters' jacket and NBA Championship ring. Would any of these men be viewed as role models of marriage? No way. They could no more nab that title now than South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) or former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards.

But we all know real role models, real heroes. They are beloved and are birthed in the rock-strewn places of life, not in the glitter of praise that fawns over human skills and competition. With unforgettable personal character, they illuminate the places where there may never be hype or applause.

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