Tiger to speak at Lincoln Memorial

[cali]

Tiger Woods, who has tried to stay out of politics during his ascent to become one of the world's most famous athletes, has accepted an invitation to speak at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday as part of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration festivities.

Woods posted a short statement on his Web site to say he would speak at "We Are One," a concert and celebration that will be broadcast live on HBO and feature entertainers such as Beyonce, U2, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks, along with appearances by Denzel Washington and Martin Luther King III.

Woods will speak at "We Are One," a concert and celebration that will be broadcast live on HBO and feature entertainers such as Beyonce, U2, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks.

"I am honored that I was invited to this historic event and look forward to participating in Sunday's festivities," Woods said.

Organizers of "We Are One" did not say what Woods would do at the Lincoln Memorial celebration.

Woods rarely gets involved in political discussions and festivities. He was criticized in 1997 after his watershed victory at The Masters, when he turned down an invitation from former President Bill Clinton to travel to Shea Stadium in New York to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3838781

[FrenchieCat]

1. This "We are One" concert is going to be something else!

[cali]

3. It surely will be.

Amazing line up.

[Captain Hilts]

7. I'll be there!

[TTUBatfan2008]

2. Fucking awesome...

Tiger is my hero, even moreso than Obama. I'm a golf fanatic.

[monmouth]

4. I could've sworn he was a Repub. Glad he's onboard with this...n/t

[TTUBatfan2008]

5. He never speaks out on politics...

I think he's probably a moderate Republican though. Most golfers on the PGA Tour are right wingers.

[Captain Hilts]

6. He's got some 'interesting' takes on political and racial issues. nt

[PM Martin]

8. What do you mean?

[Captain Hilts]

10. He was pretty vocal about ...

being Asian rather than black, so his Nike ad took a lot of folks by surprise. And he didn't have any problem with Augusta National's exclusion of women as members. Actually, I don't either, it's a private club, but I DO have a problem with the PGA endorsing this practice by having their tournament there. But I was disappointed that he had no opinion on this issue.

Evidently, he apologized for snubbing Rachel Robinson for the ceremony with Clinton that retired Jackie's '24' for the league.

I know some black women irked by his Swedish wife as well. Though other friends note that Tiger's wife looks like all the others on the tour.

The PGA tour is pretty solidly Republican. Greg Norman caught a lot of shit for golfing with Bubba.

[TTUBatfan2008]

11. The PGA Tour has no jurisdiction over The Masters...

They do not run the tournament. It is run completely by the members of Augusta National. The only thing the PGA Tour does is acknowledge it as an event on the Tour even though their organizers have nothing to do with it.

Oh, and Jackie's number was 42, not 24. As for Tiger's wife, she doesn't look just like all the others on Tour. Most of them look like pretty normal women. She is gorgeous on the other hand. A former model.

[Captain Hilts]

13. Yes, I mean 42!!!

I have a couple of players that I like that wore that number. I remember that was Mo Vaughn's also.

I know the Master's is run by Augusta National, but Woods is clearly comfortable with their discriminatory policies, even though he did the Nike ad that mentioned racial bigotry in golf.

It is sports folks - I think Michael Wilbon - that said a lot of golfers are married to hot blonds.

[TTUBatfan2008]

9. As PM Martin said...

what do you mean? I haven't really seen him speak out much at all on political issues. He seems to be focused strictly on setting golf records, making a shit ton of money, and helping kids who need help.

[Clio the Leo]

12. Barack? Tiger? Mariah? .... them mixed folks.....

.... are taking over the world.

Aint it AWESOME!!!!! :woohoo:

[Catherine Vincent]

14. I always took him for a republican.

I guess I was wrong.

[moondust]

15. Probably not.

At the grand opening of the multimillion dollar Tiger Woods Learning Center about 3 years ago the two featured speakers were Bill Clinton and Maria Shriver. I'm sure he could have had anybody.

However, most pro golfers do seem to be Republicans and a bunch of them are religious fundies.

[Condem]

16. Stunning news! Tiger Woods goes out of his way to avoid....

...this kind of a deal. Looking forward to seeing him.