The relatively benign and apolitical comments Tiger Woods made about his relationship with President Donald Trump at The Northern Trust on Sunday continue to make headlines inside and outside the sporting world, and it was only a matter of time before ESPN’s debate show circuit weighed in on the topic.
Tiger Talks About His Relationship With Trump
Speaking on “First Take,” host and commentator Max Kellerman went off on Woods for the comments saying his words “either hold in contempt the intelligence of people who hear it or else it’s just a stupid thing to say.”
“It really bothers me. I’m angry at what Tiger Woods said,” Kellerman said. “It is a thoughtless statement dressed up as a thoughtful statement and it either holds in contempt the intelligence of the people who hear it or else it’s just a stupid thing to say.
“To say you must have respect for the office — Tiger, be clear — are you saying that the office, therefore, confers respect onto its present temporary occupant? No. Having respect for the office means principally, in my view, is the office holder should have respect for the office.
“We are held to a standard of behavior, we at our jobs, right, people in their daily lives. The president, if anything, is held to a higher standard of behavior. It is not such that we have such great respect for the office that no matter what the behavior of its occupant, we must respect the occupant because of the office. No. Tiger Woods … is being slick. We must respect the office therefore that confers respect to the occupant. Tiger, is that is what you are saying? If that is what you are saying, that is a stupid comment.”
Given the reaction Woods comments have garnered both inside and outside of golf, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the topic is broached again at this week’s Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston, which gets underway on Friday.
