SVP Hopes Tiger Woods Gets Help After Latest Incident

The sports world is talking about Tiger Woods again, but not for his legendary golf game. After a recent incident, longtime friend and sports commentator SVP (Scott Van Pelt) shared his deep concerns for Woods, not as a golfer, but as a person. “I just hope this the person is okay,” SVP said, reflecting on his nearly 30-year friendship with the golf icon. While SVP admits he’s not in Woods’s inner circle, his long history with Tiger gives him a unique perspective.

Just a week before this incident, fans were excited to see Woods back on the course at TGL. “There’s an excitement to that. Like what’s it going to look like?” SVP noted. “He’s singular in that way.” As a fan, SVP admitted he could be greedy and want to see Woods play more. However, his desire to see Tiger swing a club again is secondary to his concern for his well-being.

SVP understands the immense physical toll Woods’s career has taken. “His body has been through so much where he’s gone through surgery after surgery.” He also touched on the emotional pain of losing a parent, referencing Tiger’s mother, and how that adds to life’s challenges. “The emotional pain to try to get through,” SVP stated, acknowledging the deep personal struggles everyone faces.

Connecting the dots from past issues, SVP expressed worry about pain medication. “I connect the dots and I just have concerns about pain pills and the damage that I’ve seen them do to athletes,” he explained. He questioned who in Tiger’s famously small circle would step in if he needed help. “I don’t know who that person is. I don’t.” SVP contrasted this with his own friendships, where he knows he could count on support if he were in trouble.

“When you work for someone, there’s only so much you can do… Because that person, if they’re in need of help, has to allow you to help them.”

Even Tiger’s long-time agent, Mark Steinberg, who would “do anything for him,” faces limitations. “There’s a butt,” SVP explained, “he’d do anything that Tiger would let him do.” The core issue, SVP believes, is that help must be accepted by the person in need. He is uncertain about the exact situation but hopes Tiger receives the support he needs.

SVP admitted his perspective has shifted dramatically. “I went from being like, ‘Man, I really hope he plays next week. God, that’d be awesome.’ Now that’s irrelevant to me.” His priority is now entirely on Tiger the human being. “If he’s in need of help, I hope that it… I hope he gets it, whatever form that might be.” He stressed the importance of safety, adding, “You cannot continue to put yourself and others in harm’s way.”

The question of why Tiger doesn’t use a driver has been raised. SVP offered a sympathetic view, suggesting it might be about feeling like a normal person. “You know how few things in the guy’s life allow him to feel like a normal human being.” He imagined simple pleasures like going to the grocery store, something many take for granted. However, given the multiple incidents, SVP reiterated his hope that Tiger seeks help.

SVP recounted driving the same road where the incident occurred just days before. Seeing the aftermath made it hard to comprehend. The police report stated Woods looked at his phone and attempted to overtake another car. “You can’t flip on that road is basically the point,” SVP stated, noting the low speed limit of 25-30 mph. The lack of explanation for the accident left him baffled.

Reflecting on other athletes, like Gary Woodland winning, SVP highlighted the joy of seeing a person overcome struggles. “As a human being, I can be grateful that my friend who was brave enough to share that with the world… got to experience that.” He values the moments when the public gets to see the human side of stars. “We get to know these stars as human beings.”

SVP has known Tiger since his college days at Stanford. He acknowledged that everyone has their own hidden battles. “You always hear that thing, you never know what someone’s dealing with.” While he doesn’t know Tiger’s specific struggles, he hopes those who can help will step in. “I just want the person to to be around. Don’t care about the Masters, you know, not at this point.” His focus is on the man, not the golfer, and he hopes Tiger gets the help he needs.

Source: 'I hope the person is okay': SVP hopes Tiger Woods gets the help he needs | SVPod (YouTube)