There's a trust issue
Mark Wogenrich
The Morning Call
Perhaps it's just the product of book marketing, but the title of Hank Haney's new book "The Big Miss" certainly hints at revelations beyond golf. What miss could Haney possibly be referencing, considering Tiger Woods won 31 events and six majors during their six years together?
For Woods to address Haney's book with more than his go-to defense mechanism — "It is what it is" — something in it must burn Tiger. If the book dissolves a trust he expected would remain after their split, he has a right to be critical.
But Woods also sets his bar of betrayal comparatively low, so what might seem innocuous to Haney becomes a serious breach to Woods. Before being pre-emptively wounded, Tiger at least could request an advance copy.
It could be worse
Jeff Shain
Orlando Sentinel
Tiger Woods needs to take a deep breath and look on the bright side: This isn't exactly Marianne Gingrich throwing open the closet door.
Hank Haney has made it pretty clear that anyone looking for dirt on Pornstar A or Realitybabe Q is going to be disappointed. This is his account of their time building a swing that at its peak won nearly every other time Woods teed up.
Woods can't be out to protect swing secrets. What sells the book is a rare glimpse of being inside Woods' inner circle, for whatever Haney witnessed.
Though the coach has said little publicly about that byplay, he's hinted about seeing Tiger give "the treatment" to those who got in his way. Maybe that's the concern?
Nothing 'unprofessional'
Diane Pucin
Hank Haney spent a lot of time with Tiger Woods once. He was the coach, a mentor and maybe, from the sounds of it, somewhat of a friend to Woods.
Now Haney is an ex-coach, ex-mentor and, from the sounds of it, an ex-friend.
Woods said he hasn't read the book and won't. He told a writer at ESPN he thought Haney's decision was "disappointing" and "unprofessional."
Certainly it's Woods' right to be disappointed, but the unprofessional part? Saying that is silly. Unless Woods and Haney had a contract that prohibited Haney from writing about their association, there is nothing unprofessional.
Haney hasn't been out gossiping about Woods, but if the book is an honest telling of what Haney observed in his years with Woods, it's a book I'll read.
Just a money grab
K.C. Johnson
Did Tiger Woods pay Hank Haney for his services? Of course he did. And thus, Tiger has every right to criticize his former swing coach for trying to make more money off their professional relationship. Haney says he was a witness to greatness and that he wants to share that with people.
I doubt Haney will want to share his profits, as meager as they hopefully are. Haney isn't a journalist or author. He's a swing coach. When he entered such a professional relationship with Woods, a trust formed. Or should have. This is a total money grab.