Getting in a single person car accident usually does not prompt police investigation and hordes of media attention. At the same time, it’s not every day that Tiger Woods crashes his car into a fire hydrant by his house at 2:25 in the morning. If anyone else did this, there might be a story published deep in the pages of the Utah section of the Tribune. But because it’s one of the greatest golfers of all time, there is a picture and story on the Yahoo! Homepage, and all the major news outlets have a story about it. What exactly do they have a story about? The funny part is that no one is sure what the big deal is. Woods hit the hydrant, and sustained minor injuries. He spent a short time in the hospital and then returned home. The only action he has taken is to refuse comment to the media.
One day in class we talked about how “no comment” was deadly in public relations. To me, this is a prime example of that in action. The story was speculating if Woods would still play in his upcoming tournament, if his sponsors would pull support, or if he crashed because he and his wife had been arguing. These all seem like ridiculous speculations for a man who has been quiet about his life outside of golf, and who is never seen in tabloids or entertainment magazines. Yet because nothing has been said, people assume that the silence means something, that because he hasn’t returned comment, Woods has something to hide. I don’t know what this story will evolve into, but now I know that “no comment” can turn into a public relations nightmare for all parties involved. To read the full story click here.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
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anyone else see the irony in he was being pursued by his wife wielding a golf club then saved by a golf club when she smashed in the back window to get him out? You live by the game, you die by the game. My only question is- was it a pitching wedge or a 9 iron?
ReplyDeleteanyone else see the irony in he was being pursued by his wife wielding a golf club then saved by a golf club when she smashed in the back window to get him out? You live by the game, you die by the game. My only question is- was it a pitching wedge or a 9 iron?
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