"I don't really care, let's talk about the Dodgers. I don't think anybody really watches hockey any more."
-Tiger Woods comment on the NHL Playoffs during a recent PGA conference call.

Now I know a lot of Canadians are upset by Tiger's comments. When it comes to hockey we are an insecure lot who feel the need to defend the game at every turn. We’ve had to endure a lock-out, a crummy TV deal on a channel no one knows about and we’ve seen Dog Shows get better ratings than the NHL.
But with the Penguins and the Red Wings in the finals the game of hockey was starting to win back some of the sporting spot light in the States. Just when it looked like the good times were back Tiger Woods had to ruin the party.
And you know what I'm glad he did.
It was the first time, in a long time, he sounded like a sports fan and not a corporate machine. When was the last time you heard Tiger say something that didn't sound scripted? I'm sure if you checked you could find a transmitter inside his throat to ensure he says nothing that could hurt the value of Nike's stock.
But this time was different. He was asked a simple sports question and gave a simple sports answer. He would rather talk about his under achieving Dodgers than a game he couldn't care less about. It was an honest answer and honestly I'm glad he gave it.
It reminds me of the furor Cleveland fans felt after Lebron James wore a Yankee cap to Game One of the Indians playoff series vs. New York.
I think that we forget that deep down most athletes are still sports fans. So it was actually nice to see Tiger speak off the cuff.
Of course I'm sure Gary Bettman has his own opinion on that one.

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