Media, public missing the “true” comeback story at the Masters

12Apr10

Phil Mickelson, right, participates in the Masters' tradition of passing the green jacket from the previous year's winner (Angel Cabrera) to the current winner.

The script was written, edited and ready to be acted out on the Augusta National Golf Course this past weekend.

A fallen hero. A damsel in distress. A chance to rise again.

What more could the American public wish for?

Well, congratulations America, you got your happy ending even if the participants weren’t who you expected them to be.

While everyone was watching one Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods play competitive golf for the first time since his sex scandal broke nearly five months ago and either rooting for him to reclaim the mountain top or stumble down the side again, the real fairy tale was playing out with rival Phil Mickelson at center stage.

Mickelson won his third Green Jacket and fourth career Major with his wife, Amy, by his side — the first time she attended one of his golf tournaments since being diagnosed with breast cancer 11 months ago. By the time they shared a teary-eyed embrace just off the 18th green, nearly everyone in attendance could feel the emotions flowing over and, if only for a moment, forgot about the reason they were watching all week long: Tiger.

In a week that seemed scripted by network executives, Tiger made every attempt to ensure the spotlight remained on him. There was the Nike commercial featuring a voiceover from his deceased father, the impromptu press conferences, vowing to tone down his emotions on the course, and making this ill-advised comparison to Ben Hogan. Yes, there were moments where Woods connected with the patrons and showed some humility, but it all still felt a bit rehearsed, a bit forced.

At the end of the day it was Mickelson who emerged from the background where Woods’ scandal had pushed he and everyone else, and he brought his family to the foreground with him.

And, that, is how a celebrity should bring his family into the public eye, but ultimately that’s not what the American public wants, nor is it what the American media is willing to sell.

So that begs the question, who is responsible for the disproportionate amount of attention lavished on celebrity scandals? Does it come down to ignoring their antics the way we would a child crying out for attention? How does this cycle get fixed?

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