Tiger's Commercial - Offensive If You Never Had A Parent Challenge You

Unlike most people, I see no problem with the commercial. It's not creepy, not exploitative, not wrong...it's what Tiger needs to hear from his father if he were here.

The late Earl Woods put Tiger on TV before he could barely speak. Earl Woods touted him as the dramatic world changer when he started his golf career and now it's fitting that its his voice "speaks" to Tiger as he begins to repair his image not as a perfect man but as a man who's fallen because of his failures and wants to move on.

He helped create this brand, now he needs to "speak" to the person.

I can imagine my own father saying something like this to me if I messed up my life. He would challenge me to be better, ask me if I learned something, be accountable, face the music and go on without wallowing in guilt.

We've become so jaded as a society that we don't see the bigger picture because we see the obvious. The 3 Nike swooshes in the commercial let you know this is a Nike ad but what exactly are they selling? All you see is Tiger standing there, eyes focused/saddened, face contrite. His eyes dont ask for sympathy - they say I'm ready to be change after you saw me fall.

You don't see a golf club. You just see one man, hear another's words. And you really think they are selling you a lie? Why would this man/this company promote a lie after the last 5 months exposed a series of lies and deceit that derailed him like few others.

And as far as Nike seeing nothing but $$$ - remember that Nike has had him since he was 20. Outside of Michael Jordan, Tiger is their biggest commodity and they care about him/need him as much as he needs them. They stood by him while other companies let him go - there has to be some personal connection to him. That's why I'm not so jaded.

But the bigger picture is how many of us would have parents or authority figures challenge us as adults like that. How many of us have older and reliable friends who would give us that talk. Don't just see it as a commercial - listen what they are saying, see what they are not saying.

You don't have to have sympathy for Tiger and heck, he probably wouldn't ask for it. But to call this a money grab and a cheap advertising ploy is too simple given the nature of his actions and come back. My dad and a few others would've said the same thing.

*by the way, how impressive was it that Woods had his best first round Masters score ever. Take 5 months off and just act like he never left. Two shots off the lead.