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Johnson: Humbled Woods must return as better man

Professional golfer Tiger Woods' massive impact - not just on golf, but on sports overall - truly was evident as millions paused to tune in as he read a carefully scripted apology for nearly 14 minutes Friday from the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Florida.

Much of the blog chatter I read after Woods' statement on his extramarital affairs was from people who either were frustrated or in awe that the rest of the news was put on hold so we could see the golfing great begin his trek of redemption.

One of the questions asked about the spectacle was why Woods had to apologize in the first place. After all, some asked, aren't Woods' transgressions a private matter among him, his wife and his family?

Of course, if we didn't live in the crazed environment of 24/7 online, cable and entertainment news, in addition to tweeting and blogging, Woods would have been able to better shield his family from the media onslaught. However, the pressure on Woods to express remorse for his extramarital affairs is more complex than the customary celebrity atoning we've come to expect from the famous who have fallen from the public's grace. Woods was not the average jock playing around on his wife. His sporting image carried weight from both a commercial and cultural perspective; thus, his personal troubles extend beyond him.

From a commercial standpoint, the economic boom that Woods brought to golf in the 1990s is similar to the revitalization the NBA enjoyed in the 1980s as a result of the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson rivalry, and later the emergence of Michael Jordan. These basketball greats ushered in more revenue and higher television ratings for the league. Woods has done the same for golf in terms of network coverage, sponsorships and increased purses for second-tier tournaments.

It's a given that as long as Woods remains on indefinite leave from the PGA tour, viewership will sharply decline. A Nielsen study revealed that the impact of Woods' absence in 2008 tournaments due to injury resulted in ratings falling by 47 percent. The hit in TV ratings, in addition to golf sponsorships, could potentially affect the earnings of Woods' PGA rivals. Woods already has lost endorsement deals with AT&T and Accenture, and since his infidelity reveal

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