This is a serious question: Should you root against Tiger Woods at this week's Masters golf tournament because of his past misbehavior?
A quick refresher: Two and a half years ago, Woods's wife, wielding a golf club, chased an Ambien-addled Woods out of their house and into his Cadillac SUV, which, with her in hot pursuit, he drove into a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree. Then came a parade of purported mistresses, a remarkably brief sex-addiction rehab, a speedy divorce, and a sustained inability to win golf tournaments--in particular, an inability to win one of the four annual "majors". Woods needs five more majors to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 and claim the "greatest golfer ever" title--a goal that once seemed assured and is now in doubt. But two weeks ago Woods won his first PGA tournament since his career collapse, and now, at the first of this year's four majors, he seems poised for a breakthrough. Today, on the first day of the Masters, he fought adversity to wind up at par, and he's very much in the running to win the tournament come Sunday.
The case for rooting against him: His story will be with us a long time, and people (including young people) learn from stories. Do we want them to learn that you can succumb to your id, cheating on and lying prolifically to your wife, cavorting with porn stars, and still achieve greatness?
The case against rooting against him: But hasn't he been punished enough? Can't the story be that, yes, if you make mistakes you have to pay a price, but once you've paid the price redemption is possible so long as you recognize your mistakes, buckle down, and work hard? Besides, who among us is without sin? Who among us could handle fame without succumbing to its temptations? There but for the grace of God go all of us.