Tiger Accident Clippings, What Now? Edition**
You wake and just when it seems like things could not get any more bizarre it seems several online sites posted a slew of items overnight. As feared, we've moved from the revelations of girlfriends to the sale of revealing photos phase in the saga.
NBC affiliate WESH reports (with video) on the woman who reportedly was rushed to Health Central from Tiger's address:
The wife of Tiger Woods was seen leaving Health Central Hospital on Tuesday morning after a rescue call to the couple's Isleworth mansion.
Dispatchers received a call from the home at 2:36 a.m. A radio log showed a woman was transported to Health Central Hospital in Ocoee. The log also showed the patient initially refused transport, but was later listed as an advanced life support patient.
Several celebrity news Web sites reported that the mother of Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, had arrived in Central Florida on Monday. It is not known if she was the patient.
AP confirms the 911 call came from Tiger's home.
They also are reporting that Tiger was admitted as an "OD" or overdose patient, which only adds more to the mysterious denial of a subpoena for blood test results.
And he will not be attending Bryon Bell's wedding.
Tim Finchem's worst nightmare: reports of Playgirl in negotiations to acquire nude photos of Tiger. Hard to believe Tiger would allow that, but then again he also left a voicemail identifying himself and he did like Ambien.
Reed Albergotti attempts to figure out what role Mark Steinberg is playing in this and can only conclude:
He has sent several emails to individual media outlets. He hired Mark NeJame, the most prominent criminal-defense attorney in the Orlando area, to handle Mr. Woods's defense, which has resulted in a $164 ticket. The only direct communication from Mr. Woods has come in the form of two statements posted on his Web site.
Steinberg does make a new TMZ acquired log of the FHP investigation, calling to reschedule an interview on November 28 at 2:45 p.m.
And Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post draws some pretty bold conclusions from Tiger's behavior, but also notes this about the legs this story has:
I'm beginning to fear, actually, that the unfolding may never end. If you're the richest, most famous athlete on the planet, and you have an eye for cocktail waitresses and nightclub hostesses, the opportunities to cheat are probably limited only by the number of hours in the day. It's becoming clear why Woods's initial mea culpa was worded vaguely to cover any and all "transgressions." Wouldn't want to leave anybody out.
Geoff
Reader Comments (63)
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At least TW didn't go the "slump buster" route that many baseball players take. He went pretty high up on the scale.
Redcorn, seriously, how would Steinberg "buy the DA's office"? Please explain exactly how that would happen, exactly.
JD, do you think depression is something that only affects "normal" people? To even joke about suicide is inappropriate and be careul what you say, you may come to regret it. Unless that's what you really want to happen to the guy, is it?
As for the home purchase, those things don't really get done in a week. Clearly this had been in the works for a while but I will concede the timing is convenient!!
I have no reason to suspect, and would not say, whether anybody "bought the "State's Attorney for Orange County] off." However, it may well be that they did get an earful fom NeJame about any HIPAA or probable cause irregularities with any warrant. Also perhaps a threat that if such sensitive documents were not absolutely protected whan and if they were produced, the prosecutors' office would have hell to pay. The thing about this case was that the potential charges (careless driving, reckless driving, OUI, single-vhicle accident, no injuries) were relatively minor for the State's attorney's office to concern itself with, and also unusual was to swift involvement of an attorney for such minor charges.
That said, as a healthcare litigator myself, I scarcely ever go a week in my practice without instituting a subpeona for medical records. It's easy; I do it as a matter of routine. Big differnce is that my cases are civil cases, and the parties routinely consent to the records production.
Interesting to me is that I get the impression that TMZ got a copy of the subpoena request other than through proper channels. Probably no big deal; I think it is a document that would have been produced ultimately, given Tiger's guilty plea, but it does tell me that there is someone who is very angry and perhaps rightfully defensive about the denial of the subpoena. And wanted their side of the story out there. And blame to be placed on the prosecutorial side as opposed to the plice officers' side. Bottom line is that like you, I am, in hindsight, surprised that a subpoena was not issued.
The whole Tiger thing is becoming increasingly bizarre, fuelled (ironically) by Woods' silence. Anyone at the moment can step forward without impunity, it seems, and until Tiger comes clean and admits who he genuinely "bagged" it's still all hear say.
Still, there's enough here to idicate he is a multiple "transgressor" with a probable penchant for prescription drugs.
Unless he does something to sort out his life, and undergo the public catharsis that he seems most unlikely to trigger, I am starting to think he is finished as a major winning golfer. Hard to believe.
His endorsements are history. Just watch.
robinson is "disappointed" in tiger, but not because tiger has made such a mess of everything or betrayed his family, or any of the other issues here. no, robinson is disappointed in the "type" of women tiger chose to stray with, a type he describes as "barbie dolls." to buy robinson's ridiculous 'validation' theory, you first have to buy robinson's premise that all the women tiger hooked up with look alike, which they don't. as one commenter on wapo online pointed out, what robinson is really saying here is "where are the black women, tiger?"
dbcooper, I didn't comment one way or another, just asked a few questions. But since you chimed in, at what level do you think Tiger will retain the ability to win at? Major? Regular tour? Nationwide? Minitour? Please be specific as to what your expectations are of Tiger's on course performance in his next 25 events...be specific.
Therefore! He's really looking forward to 2010 and to winning a few more tournaments including some majors ... whether we like it or not!
I think the days of straight bribes are all but gone, but the broader concept of "influence" still exists.
Of course, it seems like these days many celebs get a rougher ride so that the officials are seen as not giving favourable treatment.
I don't care about the Pizza Hut Classics and Eskimo Pie Invitationals, but in terms of major professional championships, I think this mess makes Tiger quite a bit less of a favorite to break Jack's record.
In fact, if this mess turns out as bad as I think it could, I think he might well be an underdog to break Jack's record and McStumpy's prediction might not be far off at all.
Tiger has won a lot by intimidating others with that iron will personna, but that veneer is getting mighty thin. Becoming a laughingstock has got to brutalize his pysche. The situation might turn, but there is blood in the water.
So what you are suggesting is that Mark for some reason gives a bunch of money to politicians in Florida, a state he doesn't live in, and then when Tiger's fiasco hits he says "hey Mark, you gave all that money to those politicians, why don't you also run on down to the DA's office real quick and bribe a few people so we can keep this under wraps...but Mark, be careful, the media are swarming and we don't want them to see you coming out of the DA's office without that package you walked in with".
That's how you think it played out??
Do you really think Mark Steinberg is stupid enough to risk all he has going for him to bribe the DA on behalf of Tiger Woods?
Utter bullshit.
Please, no explanation, just wins and losses.
(the post before your last one, that is...)
So it's ok for you to say Steinberg is a criminal who bribes DA's and greases politicians, but someone calls you a less than palatable name and that's wrong?
Was that scenario about how you think it played out? You never answered.
"Steinberg bought the DA's office" was hyperbole. Hyperbole for the idea that someone in Tiger's camp attempted, successfully, to influence the DA's office.
A man is found lying unconscious in the street...a witness tells police that he consumed alcohol and took prescription drugs...he damaged public property with a bizarre vehicle accident in front of his own home, and the DA's office denies a subpoena to look at his medical records for evidence of substance abuse? Had it been you or me lying there, I can guarantee you our medical records would have ended up in the FHP's hands.
If you don't think someone exerted some influence, or made a threat, or otherwise acted on Tiger's behalf to prevent a criminal investigation, I'd suggest you are the one smoking something.
I'm not sure that there was a blood sample drawn at Health Center Hospital when Tiger was there. They might not have seen any need to do a CBC. He wasn't there that long; treatment (a suture or two) was not that involved. If his breathing was not that labored, and they were satisfied that his pulse-oxymetry was okay, there may have been no blood sample done.
It may be much ado about nothing; and if it had been quietly mentioned by a Tiger attorney to a prosecutor, "You know, there was no blood work done, and so there's no tox screen for you to see in any event, and we've authorized the Hospital's general counsel to confirm that fact for you..." then it is easier to see why no subpoena issued.
On the other hand, if Tiger was indeed admitted as a suspected OD case, it is almost impossible to see how no blood work was done, unless of course Tiger said, "No; I won't consent to it, and I will discharge myself AMA if you try it..."
And then in the latter case, if Tiger didn't consent and the medical people relented, there wouldn't be any need to grease politicians or bribe the DA then either?
So Steinberg's off the hook?
This just makes so much sense, thanks Chuck.
miss priss's sociopath point is a good one to consider. sociopaths are always right, and the people who disagree with them are always wrong. this might create a bunker mentality such that tiger comes out of the gates in 2010 with something to prove. maybe a grand slam to show all his persecutors just how wrong they are.
Coming out of the gates in '10 and stomping everyone??
I don't think so.
He's not that strong.
In fact, I think he is really screwed up.
Anyhow, don't ever ... ever ... underestimate crazy folks, rich or poor, black or white or whatever. Their level of mental and physical energy for mischief, and, for some, evil behavior ... all selfish ... is so far from our comprehension. When I think about it, the number one golfer in the world may suffer from a truly devastating disorder (devastating for only for those around him) called narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD. I'm not talking about obsessively looking at yourself in the mirror, but a pervasive and destructive lack of empathy and a huge number of other horrible characteristics that make everybody else feel like they're crazy.
The bounty hunter Carson Wells said in No Country For Old Men that there were a bunch of psychopathic killers walking around ... sure ... but I'll tell you there are a whole bunch more NPDs among us and they can also win golf tournaments, too. Don’t get sucked in by them. If you do, you’re their fuel. Of course, those closest to Tiger are his fuel, not us observers, of course.
Anyway … sorry, Tiger, for all of many millions of golfers and regular citizens and their innocent children holding you up to a higher standard. If you don’t like it, then tell us what’s wrong with you. Fore … left!