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NEEDHAM —

So, you’ve been watching and hearing and reading the past week about the biggest sports stories of the year that was, 2009, the highs and lows, the champs and heartbreak losers, the scandals and deaths. We live out a year, and if we survive it, we look back.

Some things you just can’t predict. They just have to happen.

Well, here’s something we can predict for 2010: The biggest sports story of the year. The next time Tiger Woods plays competitive golf. Pretty simple, huh?

If there was ever an unfathomable downfall, it was Tiger’s. Now, if he’d had a off year playing golf, and his off years are better than most golfers’ best year, we would have said, OK, he’s only 34, let’s see how he bounces back in 2010.

In fact, 2009 wasn’t an overpowering golf season for Tiger, but that small matter got blown away by his high scores in the bedroom.

Problem was it wasn’t his bedroom. And all hell broke lose. Arguably the biggest global name in sports was brought to his knees by a string of admitted sexual trysts. After all, Tiger had a drop-dead gorgeous wife (and two kids) under his own roof.

There’s no use asking why. Marital infidelity ain’t new. But when the perpetrator is Tiger Woods, it registers like an earthquake. His image was simply that of the greatest golfer of all-time, with another 10 years to pump the resume. That was his public image. His private image was … well, no one really knew. Yes, his wife was beautiful, and when they’d kiss after he won a major it was an irresistible photo op. It was easy to imagine Mr. & Mrs. Tiger Woods having an unbelievably wonderful life.

But he never showed much of himself away from the game. We could see him on TV almost any old time, in commercials and in magazine ads that would lift him into becoming the first billionaire athlete.

He lived an intensely private life. Now we know why. Sure, with his money he could buy any comfort creature on earth. He pretty much had. A house bigger than your home town. A yacht. A Buick wasn’t the only vehicle in his driveway. But he wanted more. He wanted excess.

He wanted women. A bunch.

We began hearing about this after he backed out of his driveway at 2:30 in the morning and crashed the vehicle. Who knows what was on his mind then. It wasn’t about paying the deductible. He probably thought, ‘I‘m Tiger Woods, nothing bad will come of this. I’ll just sign a few autographs for the cops and be on my way,’ wherever he was going at that time of the morning.

Wherever that was, he couldn’t escape. It was only a story because it was Tiger Woods. And it was nothing, until the details began to spill out. They were no small details. They were about women. Tiger holed up in his hole for a few days, hoping the story would blow away. It got bigger instead. He should have known. He’s Tiger Woods.

He admitted to the affairs, his wife left without saying goodbye, and Tiger is still in hiding.

Maybe, before he plays again, Tiger will hold a press conference, or do an interview with Oprah or the Golf Channel. 60 Minutes might be too tough on him. He better get used to it.

How long can he tap dance around this? There’s already been a written mea culpa, but the public wants more. It wants to see and hear him say the words. What was his problem? Was it just the available sex?

Maybe he’ll say nothing until he returns to the tour, letting the chip shots fall where they may. This we do know. The next time we see him on the first tee will be must-see TV. The ratings will be record-breaking. Breaking records is what the man does, but this time, it’s for the wrong reasons. Everybody wants to see how the fallen Tiger, looks, acts, plays. It’ll be like we’re seeing him for the first time.

His tunnel vision on the golf course is legendary. He doesn’t talk; he plays. He doesn’t smile; he plays. He’s a sore loser. He’s not playing for the paycheck. Second place sucks.

What kind of Tiger will we see the next time we see him? Whatever that tournament is, let’s say it’s the Masters, just to up the drama, what if he wins it? Is that possible? He’s done things in golf that are unmatched, but he’s never done any of it riding a scandal. Everybody from Letterman to the lady at the checkout counter had a Tiger joke. He’d been humiliated, this proud, unfaithful man. His clean slate wasn’t blemished, it was kicked around, crushed, spit on, like it only can happen to the very famous.

So, Tiger plays his first round somewhere, then comes the press conference. Yeah, there will be golf questions, but which media person will be the first to pop the first query about you know what. Will Tiger consider the question, or take the Mark McGwire back door approach? Don’t be surprised if Tiger issues a pre-tournament statement that he won’t be fielding any questions about you know what.

Here’s a safe question: Tiger, how difficult is it to play competitive golf again after what you’ve been through? A softball question that could lead somewhere.

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