Tiger Woods: 'Kobe Special'

This is not just a TMZ story. It's not just a sports story.

It's big news, as if Tiger Woods' 2:25 a.m. Friday car accident is one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Woods is an icon. Of course there was a lot of genuine concern when the story of the accident first broke and his condition was unclear. Now, however, there seems to be interest in the story more from the gossip angle than anything else. It's not as if facial lacerations, scratches on his lips, will have an impact on his golf game.

There's still a lot that isn't known. At this point, I think what's fueling the story is the fact that Woods isn't talking to investigators.

The best way to put an end to all the speculation and rumors about Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren, and the other woman, Rachel Uchitel, would be for Woods to simply talk to Florida's highway patrol or issue some sort of statement. This total silence is weird.

Nordegren did talk to the officers at the scene of the accident, but as TMZ reports, she later changed her story.

The Windemere Police Department says Tiger's wife went outside, saw that her husband had struck a fire hydrant and a tree, and then went back inside the house for a golf club to use to try and extricate him from the vehicle. But we've learned Nordegren told a very different story to the Florida Highway Patrol, and it does not involve going back in the house for a club. Our sources will not allow us to be more specific.

And we've learned there was no blood found on the steering wheel of Tiger's SUV -- putting into serious doubt that Tiger sustained his injuries from the crash.

Odd.

From AP:

The mystery over Tiger Woods' car crash intensified Saturday when his agent called state troopers on their way to Woods' house and asked them to wait another day before speaking to him.

It was the second straight day Woods was unavailable to talk. His wife told troopers on Friday afternoon, after the world's No. 1 golfer had been treated and released from a hospital, that he was sleeping and asked that they return Saturday.

Woods is not required by law to speak to the Florida Highway Patrol because it is being investigated as a traffic accident, spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

Woods was injured when his Cadillac SUV struck a fire hydrant and a tree just beyond his driveway at 2:25 a.m. Friday. Police said his lips were cut and blood was in his mouth when officers arrived. Police chief Daniel Saylor said Woods' wife, Elin, smashed the back window with a golf club to help get him out.

Montes said troopers were en route to Woods' $2.4 million mansion in the gated community of Isleworth when agent Mark Steinberg called dispatch and was put through to the troopers, telling them Woods and his wife were unavailable.

"I don't know what was said," Montes said.

Steinberg did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment.

With so many questions lingering — where was he going at that hour? — and rumors circulating on the Internet, one marketing expert said silence was only stirring the pot.

"Every 10 seconds these days, people update their tweets," said David Schwab, vice president of Octagon. "People are just adding speculation and controversy. You need something to settle the ship. If he's not able to do it, find someone to do it for him."

It's really a bad move on Woods' part to let the story linger with so many unanswered questions.

On Sunday, the 911 tapes should be released.

That will be a circus.

Getting to the truth is better than letting rumors swirl. Hiding is making matters worse.

Did Nordegren beat up Woods during a fight about his relationship with Rachel Uchitel?

Was Woods driving under the influence of prescription painkillers?

Although dealing with the consequences of revealing the truth may be unpleasant and embarrassing, it's not good to hide. That's just adding another layer of sleaze to the story.

From TMZ:

Tiger Woods had a "Kobe Special" on his brain hours after what looks like a domestic dispute with his wife, Elin Nordegren -- this according to someone who spoke with Tiger on Friday.

During the phone conversation on Friday, Tiger told his friend, "I have to run to Zales to get a 'Kobe Special.'" The person on the other end of the phone asked Tiger what a "Kobe Special" was. The reply -- "A house on a finger."

During the conversation, Tiger said his wife had "gone ghetto" on him.

As we first reported, Tiger told the friend his wife had scratched his face up during an argument over a report that the golf great had cheated on her. The "other woman" named in the story -- Rachel Uchitel -- calls the report "bulls**t."

Who knows?

Will Elin Nordegren soon be sporting a "Kobe Special"?

I don't think Woods will escape unscathed from this episode. I don't expect him to lose any of his commercial endorsements, but his image has taken a hit.

He's off the pedestal.

Turns out he's human.