1. Sexual addiction. Like many child stars, this child athlete was objectified, becoming a commodity for his handlers. It follows that he now sees other people in the same light, as objects to satisfy his needs.

2. The evolutionary explanation is that man’s biological need is to spread his seed and thus ensure the survival of the human race. Culturally, this develops in our environment and accepts double standards. (Boys will be boys, right?)

3. Why did Tiger cheat? Forget the word cheat. After 20 years of mediating divorces, I know that infidelity is usually just an attempt to satisfy unmet needs. Contracts for money, fame, and sponsorship can make life easier, but they can’t fill the void inside.

4. Marriage is difficult and every marriage presents challenges. In Tiger’s case, there were significant cultural differences and celebrity-related stress. Additionally, this couple faced the typical pitfalls couples encounter when the focus shifts from “us” to children, and work-related travel and normal life stresses get in the way.

5. Culturally we do not offer marriage preparation. When hormones are rising, nobody wants it. How can young people learn what it takes to make a marriage work when all they have is the romantic fantasy provided by the media? Society should mandate a marriage education that includes both an extensive premarital assessment / profile and follow-up during the early years of marriage.

6. There is a Universal Law that states that no one gets a free ride. High highs bring low lows. You know, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Now is your time to feel the pain of humiliation. And, after all that glory, it will be great. We may have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

7. He didn’t think we would care. After all, he is not a minister, politician, or other advocate of high morals. When a hypocritical holy-wheeler is caught cheating, it is his hypocrisy, rather than his human faults, that ruins him. Tiger is just an athlete, not a conservative pundit or an evangelical minister. You have the right to make mistakes, after all, you never told us how to live.

8. Others got away with it. Kobe, Letterman, Hugh Grant, Woody Allen, Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy and others have been able to carry on after their mischievous headlines. Sex scandals come in degrees. Within reason, we’re happy to leave a little slack for most men.

9. The shadow. This is Carl Jung’s term for the repressed and denied aspects of the self. We project the opposite of what we identify with. The repressed is expressed. So it’s only natural that Woods’ sane person would have an unconscious shadow indecent look.

10. Like all of us, Tiger’s greatest strength is also his greatest weakness. And, like the rest of us, the best of him is also the worst of him. Tiger’s uncanny ability to block out other thoughts and focus on the moment and his game has made him the most successful golfer in the world. But, this same ability to focus and be in the moment may have allowed her to block out the consequences of her actions and to pull her marriage out of her peripheral vision. Is Tiger a one trick pony? (A success in golf and a failure in life). I do not know. Stay tuned and we’ll find out.

(A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Dr. Renae Lapin, LMFT, who once again proves that two heads are better than one. Renae’s comments triggered brainstorming magic and allowed me to finish this article) .

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