Why Tiger Doesn't Need to Come Clean

A mere 24 hours have passed since Tiger Woods hit the Thanksgiving weekend headlines by hitting a fire hydrant and a tree with his Cadillac.

And now, the vultures have started to circle.

Today, the first voice from the golf press has implored Tiger Woods to come clean. ESPN.com's Jason Sobel opines that Wood's should for his own well-being, no less. Sobel even goes so far as to say that Woods should seek forgiveness. I'm sorry, but whom has Woods wronged other than himself and possibly his wife?

Astonishing...

By reading Sobel's piece you'd think that Wood's has been a man on the brink for the last decade rather than the indefatigable professional he's been in reality. The steadiness of his manner (off the course anyway) and the understandable privacy that is his preference has been paid for by Woods since he was a lad.

Woods earned the right to maintain his privacy now, if he chooses.

The sports and entertainment world is full of people who need to come clean. Tiger Woods is not among them. He is a 33 year old man with a wife and two children who had a very bad evening and was fortunate to escape serious injury. The only real damage that is anyone else's business was done to a tree and a fire hydrant.

Tiger Woods and his wife may have some real problems, but those problems won't be helped by his fans or critics. Scores of those same fans and critics have had bad nights, too, many likely ending up for more seriously than Thanksgiving night did for Woods.

Here's hoping that just this once, we can all tell the difference between a private matter and something we need to know everything about.

I can hope, can't I?