The similarities were already there...Knoblauch has always been an a-hole.

I've always been a Tiger fan and find it way more entertaining when he was owning the tour, but these statements make him sound like the biggest poon in the world. Man he's just gone completely soft. I never expected him to just lay down and give up like it seems he's doing.

Guy was just never the same in all facets (golf game, attitude, health, etc) after his wife beat him with that 9i.

I think it mostly highlights how back problems are a frustrating biach. It can be one of the most frustrating injuries to deal with because they can be so incredibly debilitating, you can feel like you're running in circles on diagnosis and treatment, and oftentimes they never get significantly better. They are a bear of a problem.

Has the Time interview already been posted here? Anyway, here it is. I'd say this is easily the best and deepest interview Tiger has ever given. Fascinating stuff in here.

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I think it mostly highlights how back problems are a frustrating biach. It can be one of the most frustrating injuries to deal with because they can be so incredibly debilitating, you can feel like you're running in circles on diagnosis and treatment, and oftentimes they never get significantly better. They are a bear of a problem.

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Look at a guy like Fred Couples. He's still dealing with back issues after 20 years (missed the US Senior Open this year due to his back).

IMO a back injury for golfers is an ACL/MCL of 10 years ago for NFL players. They may come back, but odds are heavily stacked against them

it was a 5 iron

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I think it mostly highlights how back problems are a frustrating biach. It can be one of the most frustrating injuries to deal with because they can be so incredibly debilitating, you can feel like you're running in circles on diagnosis and treatment, and oftentimes they never get significantly better. They are a bear of a problem.

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Look at a guy like Fred Couples. He's still dealing with back issues after 20 years (missed the US Senior Open this year due to his back).

IMO a back injury for golfers is an ACL/MCL of 10 years ago for NFL players. They may come back, but odds are heavily stacked against them

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hoars will wreck you

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I think it mostly highlights how back problems are a frustrating biach. It can be one of the most frustrating injuries to deal with because they can be so incredibly debilitating, you can feel like you're running in circles on diagnosis and treatment, and oftentimes they never get significantly better. They are a bear of a problem.

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Look at a guy like Fred Couples. He's still dealing with back issues after 20 years (missed the US Senior Open this year due to his back).

IMO a back injury for golfers is an ACL/MCL of 10 years ago for NFL players. They may come back, but odds are heavily stacked against them

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hoars will wreck you

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pretty sure it's the lack of said side pieces that wrecked him. He was good when he was banging waffle house 10's.

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I've always been a Tiger fan and find it way more entertaining when he was owning the tour, but these statements make him sound like the biggest poon in the world. Man he's just gone completely soft. I never expected him to just lay down and give up like it seems he's doing.

Guy was just never the same in all facets (golf game, attitude, health, etc) after his wife beat him with that 9i.

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You really think he just laid down and gave up? Really?

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I've always been a Tiger fan and find it way more entertaining when he was owning the tour, but these statements make him sound like the biggest poon in the world. Man he's just gone completely soft. I never expected him to just lay down and give up like it seems he's doing.

Guy was just never the same in all facets (golf game, attitude, health, etc) after his wife beat him with that 9i.

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The fact that Tiger is making these types of statements answers every question we've ever had about whether or not Tiger will ever "be back".

FWIW, I don't think he just "laid down", but I do think he is resigned to the fact that he won't play like the GOAT ever again. I can't help but think that the emergence of Speith and Rory (and Jason Day?) has something do with it as well....Even if he was in his prime, I don't think he'd be able to lap the field as he did in the past.

Yep. Absolutely

The guy is not even worried about golf and more concerned about playing soccer with his kids.

Tiger may have slipped physically, but he's always had that mental fortitude and competitive fire. Whether his glutes were firing or not his competitiveness always was. That's obviously gone.

I expected to hear something along the lines 'I'm busting by butt to get back. Not sure when it will happen. I enjoy the time I'm spending at home with the kids, but I'm dying to be out there competing, trying to get better, trying to win' not 'Well I've gotten pretty good at video games. Sad huh? lol'

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Yep. Absolutely

The guy is not even worried about golf and more concerned about playing soccer with his kids.

Tiger may have slipped physically, but he's always had that mental fortitude and competitive fire. Whether his glutes were firing or not his competitiveness always was. That's obviously gone.

I expected to hear something along the lines 'I'm busting by butt to get back. Not sure when it will happen. I enjoy the time I'm spending at home with the kids, but I'm dying to be out there competing, trying to get better, trying to win' not 'Well I've gotten pretty good at video games. Sad huh? lol'

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I think the last back injury was just the straw that broke his back so to speak.

He's been 110% golf since he could walk, and I think he just burned out. I've seen the same thing in other sports where the parents drive kids so hard at something they burn out. Well Tiger lasted a few years longer and made more money than the Kardashians could spend, so I doubt he has many regrets.

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Yep. Absolutely

The guy is not even worried about golf and more concerned about playing soccer with his kids.

Tiger may have slipped physically, but he's always had that mental fortitude and competitive fire. Whether his glutes were firing or not his competitiveness always was. That's obviously gone.

I expected to hear something along the lines 'I'm busting by butt to get back. Not sure when it will happen. I enjoy the time I'm spending at home with the kids, but I'm dying to be out there competing, trying to get better, trying to win' not 'Well I've gotten pretty good at video games. Sad huh? lol'

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I think the last back injury was just the straw that broke his back so to speak.

He's been 110% golf since he could walk, and I think he just burned out. I've seen the same thing in other sports where the parents drive kids so hard at something they burn out. Well Tiger lasted a few years longer and made more money than the Kardashians could spend, so I doubt he has many regrets.

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He's a very rich and very famous 40-year old who happens to have a hell of a golf game -- I'd probably retire right there.

The problem is, what does he do "for fun" in retirement? Chasing that little white ball around probably doesn't sound all that fun....

The guy can barely walk. He has had what 3 back surgeries in 3 years trying to get back. He has just accepted the fact that he may never recover. I wouldn't equate that to easily laying down and giving up.

And there is nothing wrong with eing happy with his kids and giving them the priority they deserve. He didn't do that in the past and basically admitted as much. His kids are going to read all about his past actions and he has to get ahead of that. Nothung wrong with that and something other father's hide from. He cant.

He'll never be Anthony Kim and fade in to oblivion, but he sure could enjoy a good life and raise his kids in a completely different manner than his dad did. I'd bet he wouldn't change a thing about that though.

I think he would still have a shot at a couple of majors if he could ever get in a WGAF mindset. If Zach Freaking Johnson can win, a scaled back, 3 wood Tiger should be able to also.

yeah, I think there are a lot of people that don't have a full appreciation for how painful and debilitating a back injury can be. It can ruin your life, not just your golf game/profession. It can be some pretty friggin scary stuff when you think this may be excruciating pain that you have to deal with for the rest of your life. I think that is what he's facing right now and realizes it. So the priority becomes just being able to function well enough to enjoy your life, your kids, etc.

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If Zach Freaking Johnson can win, a scaled back, 3 wood Tiger should be able to also.

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Yep

One of my regular buddies, carries his bag all the time, screwed up his back and took about 3 months off. It really did eff him up mentally. Said he got pretty depressed wondering if it would get any better just to play golf much less work in the yard, even sit on the couch comfortably. He was probably 47-48 at the time and it just takes a lot longer to heal.

Bad enough when you have tendonitis or a sore foot/ankle, but your back screws with everything you do. Tiger has done some foolish stuff in my book, but dealing with back issues is something I respect and don't wish on anyone.

I had a similar experience last year. The cause turned out to be a hip vs back issue, but it was pinching my sciatic nerve when i'd stand or walk. After either standing or walking for 20-30 seconds, I'd get a sharp burning pain that felt like i was being stabbed in the thigh and knee. For nearly two months, I couldn't walk from the parking lot to my office at work (not a long walk at all) without finding a place to stop and sit to let it calm down - i usually had to stop twice. I couldn't take a shower without sitting for most of it. I couldn't go anywhere that required any amount of standing or walking. Depressing as hell for a father of two that coaches his kids softball teams, plays golf, and was otherwise very active.

Changed my life entirely for a few months, and no one could tell me if or when I might get some relief. Thankfully, It did eventually calm down and resolve itself. But it was brutal. And probably only a fraction of what Tiger has been trying to deal with.

Hearing him read a Hero ad coming back from a commercial break yesterday was just bizarre.

I had a back surgery in early 2001, at 19 years old. I played golf Saturday. Had to ice it and sat in the whirlpool tub before bed. Once you injure it, you are never, ever, ever going to be 100% again.

So how does Fred Couples manage to compete with chronic back injuries?

I've never understood that. He does have a really smooth swing, not sure if that helps. I wonder if its the nature of the injury. I have a degenerative disc, it doesn't hurt much once I'm warmed up and playing, it's later when I cool down and sit still.

I think the swing most certainly helps others like Freddy and Ernie, while Tiger's makes things worse.

He swings so violently and with so much rapid torque that I tend to think it's the reason for the bad knee and the bad back. No way a human body can withstand that for very long. Not sure why he hasn't focused his swing to soften the blow on his body as he's gotten older. My guess on that would be pride.

BTW...I'm in no way, shape, or form any kind of chiropractor or MD. It's just my observation and guess.

Even though Freddy's swing is smooth, he does have a fairly exaggerated turn that is also a little unique, and from what I recall, it was cited as one of the reasons for his problems. He modified it a bit (probably in a manner most of us wouldn't notice without a side by side) a long time ago.

In any case, it's also an example of the wide range of symptoms that back injuries can have and the ebb and flow of pain/less pain. One of the most frustrating aspects is that an injury impacting the back/nerves isn't like a torn ligament. It's not something that can just be replaced/fixed, and there's a lot more unknown as to how the impacted nerves will respond to the treatment.

While Couples still managed to have a career, there's to question it was far less accomplished than it could have been. Then you have a case like Hank Kuehne who won the US Amateur, appeared to be headed for stardom, but then blew out his back and has barely been able to play much at all over the years.

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I have constant back pain and have for over three years now and nothing has helped it. I'm only 31. It's a real upsetting situation to me and has really taken a toll mentally and physically on me. It really is a terrible thing.

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Did your significant other beat your ass with a 9 iron?

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Better to get beaten with a 9 iron than it is to get beaten with a Custom...Limited Edition...1 of 1...Cameron 'Baylor' California Del Mar.

Cameron 'Baylor' del Mar

I hope we play together one day..... So I can introduce the Irish themed putter up your a$$

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I hope we play together one day..... So I can introduce the Irish themed putter up your a$$

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