The Dueling Interviews Are Now Posted Online

Golf Channel still has no Share capacity, so here's the link (hey Wally, congrats on the Titleist ad, hope you don't have to pay per unique visitor on that one!).

ESPN is here:

Update on 2010-03-22 01:05 by Geoff

Ryan Ballengee has posted video accompanied by a transcript of the ESPN interview.

Ari Fleisher "Withdrawing His Services" From Woods Spin Team

Kelly Tilghman reported this after her interview with Tiger, saying she had asked if he would be present for the interview. The reply was that he had withdrawing his services because he was becoming "too big a part of the story."

Interviews Set For 7:30; Golf Channel Makes It Official**

Steve DiMeglio Tweets that the ESPN interview is now set for 7:30 EST.

Here's Golf Channel's release:

***MEDIA ADVISORY**
 
GOLF CHANNEL TALKS TO TIGER WOODS 1-ON-1; FIRST PUBLIC INTERVIEW SINCE THANKSGIVING- NIGHT CAR CRASH
 
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 21, 2010, 6:30 p.m.ET) – The first televised interview with Tiger Woods since November will air tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on a special, 30-minute edition of Golf Central on Golf Channel, and will be replayed by the network throughout the night and in its entirety on www.GolfChannel.com.  Kelly Tilghman sat down with Woods today at the world number-one golfer’s home course, Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Fla., just outside Orlando.
 
During the emotional interview, Woods discussed what happened the night of his infamous car crash, and talks about how he has lost touch with his roots. “Today was a unique and special opportunity,” said Tilghman.  “I was able to ask the tough questions that have been on everyone’s mind for the past three months and Tiger’s answers were from the heart.”

In five minutes?

Woods will return to competitive golf at the Masters, April 8-11.  Golf Channel’s Live From the Masters will televise more than 34 hours of live news coverage during the week, beginning Tuesday, April 6.  The network’s team of reporters and analysts, as well as guest experts, will cover all the major storylines, break down tournament play and feature daily interviews with key players.
 
Golf Central Special – 1-on-1 with Tiger Woods
7:30 p.m. ET (replays throughout evening)

Update on 2010-03-21 22:46 by Geoff

An ESPN.com story previews the interview.

Woods hasn't been questioned by reporters since he was involved in a one-car crash outside his Florida home in the early-morning hours of Nov. 27. He declined to answer questions about the specifics of the accident ("You know it's all in the police report," he said. "Beyond that everything's between [wife] Elin and myself and that's private.") and specifics about his infidelity, though he did tell Rinaldi that "just one is enough ... and obviously that wasn't the case."

After his auto accident, Woods eventually admitted to infidelity and said Dec. 11 he would take an "indefinite break" from golf. Woods spoke publicly for the first time Feb. 19, when he confessed to cheating on his wife. But he didn't take any questions after his 13-plus minute statement.

"I hurt a lot of people, not just my wife," he told Rinaldi on Sunday. "My friends, my colleagues, the public, kids who looked up to me. There were a lot of people that thought I was a different person and my actions were not according to that. That's why I had to apologize. I was so sorry for what I had done."

New Details Of Tiger Sunday Interviews

A reliable source tells me:

- The ESPN and Golf Channel interviews were shot at Isleworth today.

- Golf Channel was given 5 minutes, with no restrictions on questions. The interview ran long and went 6 minutes. Topics include car crash details and Buddhism.

- The Golf Channel interview was set to air at 7:30 but was pushed back to not compete with the PGA Tour telecast of the Transitions Championship.

"Not out the Woods yet"

John Huggan files 25 questions for Tiger Woods...

10. Do you really expect us to believe that your mea culpa press conference was scheduled during the Accenture World Match Play for reasons other than sticking it to your former sponsors? What does that action say about your character, or lack of it?

11. Speaking of that press conference, how are we supposed to take anything you said that day – "I hope to play again this year" – seriously now that your comeback has been officially confirmed?

12. Ernie Els was outspokenly critical of both you and the timing of the above press conference. Will you confront him about that?

Steiney Exonerated! Steiney Exonerated!

I come to you from the glorious Santa Monica Public Library after my modem died and the new one is not arriving until sometime Friday. It's a wonderful scene, really. Imagine a Twin Peaksextras reunion in an extra-large modern mental hospital reading room. That should give you some idea why today's lone post will be brief. (Not to mention that the library prevents me from reading several websites related to Tiger news.)

Besides, from what I can see, the only thing I missed were some wonderfully lurid and perverted text messages suggesting Tiger was concerned his agent, Mark Steinberg, would find out about his other life in Vegas. So Steiney, congrats, you've been exonerated! Even you appeared to have been kept in the dark.

In the final text, dated Oct. 4, 2009, Woods flipped out on James for apparently acting recklessly in public.

"Don't F--king talk to me," his text said. "You almost just ruined my whole life. If my agent and these guys would have seen you there, F--k."

Doesn't quite conjure up memories of the best of Bobby Jones, does it? Apparently there are more, but the SMPL isn't letting me see them. Something to look forward too with the new modem.

Good news though, as if we needed it, Larry Dorman reports that NBC is airing a 30 second spot featuring 5 seconds of reminder that Tiger is returning soon. I'm sure it'll make everyone forget what they read today and lead to several online spoofs. Something else to look forward to.