Tiger Woods' Speech: What His Body Language Reveals
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The world has now heard Tiger Woods publicly apologize for his indiscretions-- but what to make of the resurfaced golfer's delivery?
Body language expert and media coach Patti Wood offers exclusive insights to UsMagazine.com.
"I was surprised by how tense he was," the author of Success Signals tells Us of Woods' remarks Friday from the PGA Tour's TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. She praises the "beautiful text" of the speech, but criticizes how much the golfer read from his notes.
Watch the video of Tiger's remarks
"He could have prepared more," Wood says. "The fact that he chose to read so much as opposed to committing to memory -- his voice got singsongy. It makes the apology less sincere."
Upon the athlete's entrance on the stage, "His body was upright, shoulders back--but incredibly tense," she observes. "He didn't show any shame or embarrassment. He just showed stark tension in his body and the way he was holding the papers."
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Once Woods was behind the podium, "It was deer-in-the-headlights," she says. "Lots of white above the irises of his eyes. He was absolutely terrified. Very far from his normal behavior."
Also revealing? The first time the golfer mentioned his wife and children, "his eyes were absolutely dead, his voice had no emotion and absolutely monotone. He detached himself. It was very, very bizarre," she says. "He was more emotional apologizing to his friends and coworkers" than he was when referencing his family, she observes.
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In fact, when the athlete mentioned his friends, "His mouth got dry," she says. "This is the coolest guy in the universe. You never see him sweat on the golf course. You're seeing body tension in his mouth; he's smacking his lips because his mouth was so dry".
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As for Woods' discussion of his foundation and his sponsor, "his voice got much stronger, louder, more emphatic and very emotional. It's as if somebody said 'when you get to that spot, really emphasize how important the foundation is.' It seemed out of context."
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When the golfer delivered his second apology, his face "looked like a driver's license photo -- he didn't want to be in that moment at all," she observes.
The expert notes that when Woods praised the "grace and pressure" of wife Elin, "that was a true statement. He believed that. His voice was actually melodious; the facial expression and the words were synchronous, they moved smoothly all together at the same time. When you're lying, the pace is different."
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Another "true statement," she says, was Woods' comment that he "worked hard my entire life." "He felt very passionately about that. He was defending himself and his behavior."
"He said all the right things," expert Patti Wood says finally. "He said 'I apologize' more than once. It was very well written, but he could have prepared better on the delivery -- he had 80 days. It's a really good example of how the verbal and non-verbal were mismatched."
Tell Us What You Think
42I don't think his apology was sincere - I think it was part of his so-called therapy. Elin and the kids should leave.
This whole Tiger Woods affair never seems to end. Everyone has something to say about it. I always enjoy listening to Rolonda Watts- her perspective on affairs is actually really thought provoking-
what's more pathetic than a sleazy gash hound? a sleazy gash hound that looks for understanding and feels a need to 'apologize' for their sleaziness. NO ONE IS INTERESTED, TIGER, EXCEPT, OF COURSE, YOUR MUMMY, WHO CERTAINLY DOESN'T WANT YOU TO STOP PLAYING GOLF B/C YOU ARE HER MEAL TICKET!!!!
Boycott US magazine. Pure trashy reporting. SICK OF ALL THESE DUMB ARTICLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ENOUGH already US magazine. Shame on you for engaging someone to discuss what his body language means. Did it ever occur to you that body language (kinesics) means something totally different coming from people of different ethnicity? Did it ever occur to you that the man may be very depressed right now and reading from the script because that is al he can handle. Hopefully the media will leave him alone now before we see a repeat of the Princess Diana scenario. Leave him alone, for goodness sake. It has been reported that the man has received death threats and has had to deal with some very frightening scenarios. His silence in dealing with his own sanity was the best thing. You criticize him for his silence and now he has spoken you criticize his words and even his body language. If he were a white man with a non white wife, would you attack him so much? Get over it and leave him and his family alone. Let's all hear about the skeleton's in your own closets before you criticize anyone.
Enough already US magazine! Shame on you going so low as to get someone to determine what his body language means. The guy is probably severely depressed from being attacked and having death threats to him and his family. Did you ever think that body language determines different things to people of different race? Tiger was criticized for his silence while he was dealing with this turmoil privately and now you are analyzing and criticizing him for apologizing. So if he had spoken earlier you would have had hurled criticisms at him then anyway. Get on to some other story and leave the man alone. You are making him more important than he wants to be right now. ENOUGH, PAALEEZE.
Tiger should have eaten brownies from this site instead of messing around: sugarmamasgoodies on the etsy web site. They are better than sex and he would have avoided all these problems!
juat for give him no one perfect he is very nice person tiger has apologizedto and acceptedthat what he did was very wrong.and he is receiving rehabto address his issues.i wish Tiger and his family move on with their life for get off their way!
A public apology from a man who publicly betrayed and humiliated his wife. She deserved to hear those words broadcast. His true partner carries the greatest burden and sorrow for his actions and has the deepest challenge to determine what road to take for herself and for her family. No amount of millions or billions can heal a broken heart; it is a lonely path back to wholeness. His apology will give her some solace. They need privacy for her sake not his. He did his best to murder her love but thus far he has not succeeded. Yes many cheat and betray their partners, many murder, however acts that wreck havoc on heart and home should not be excused because they are common. Tiger was never a hero. He is talented at hitting a ball with a stick. Golf is a glamourous and essentially a selfish sport; it even lacks the ability to learn team spirit. For her and their children's sake we can wish them the best and hope he can learn from her how to act with honor.
I am glad that Tiger Woods broke his silence. Tiger has apologized to everyone and accepted that what he did was very wrong. Tiger confirmed he needs help and that he is receiving rehab to address his issues. Tiger said he wants to regain balance in his life to save the two things that are most important to him, his wife and his children. Tiger said that Elin deserves praise and I agree wholeheartedly. I wish them all the best. It is time that Tiger and his family move on with their life and for the media to get off their back!
Guess we can all interpret body language in our own way. I disagree with your assessment of his statements. I'd also disagree with how you say he's the coolest guy in the universe and you never see him sweat on the golf course. He's been extremely emotional on the golf course, always holds a very straight posture-so that was nothing new. I got the impression that he was understandably tense doing a press release admitting to and apologizing for his behavior. I felt that it was read instead of recited because he was nervous and afraid of breaking down. He certainly DID show that he was having difficulty controlling his facial muscles when he spoke of Elin and how much he let her down, also asking for people to leave his family alone. This is a family matter and I wish people could leave them alone to work it out. Let's hope all his mistresses will not make attempt to make contact anymore as well. He's hugely embarrassed, is doing what he can to get over this. He's been criticized for his silence. When he breaks it, he's criticized for the way he handled his press release. Sounds like the press has already decided that he can't do anything right.
Tiger, I believe you. And you know what, though what you did was flaming ------- wrong, you don't deserve this stupid media retaliation. Men do this sort of thing everyday. Tiger didn't invent adultery/cheating. Tiger, YOU DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO ANYONE BUT TO YOUR WIFE & KIDS, AND THEM ONLY. It's no one else's freakin business.
The women who decided to sleep with him are idiots. If he's married, you don't get involved. It's that simple. Wait til he separates or divorces before having ANY relationship. I don't know how his mistresses sleep at night. They are just as at fault as he is.
This woman is correct. Woods IS detatched from his family. He does not want this family. He does not want to be married to Elin and have these kids. No man who is a happily married family man has affairs with the horrible caliber of woman that this man did. Elin is as dumb as a box of rocks to stay with him. She is young enough to find somebody else. Why waste any more time with this tool? Elin, take the kids, take the money and GO! THS MAN DOES NOT WANT TO BE MARRIED!
I thought Tiger's speech came from his heart. It took guts to admit what he did. It doesn't matter to me, who was there, who wasn't there, etc. after all it is none of my business. He mentioned his wife and his children often. He meant the words he spoke about them. He has taken alot from the media and really it is none of our business. What I get mad about is when the mistresses are trying to milk all they can get from the scandal. None of these women give two cents on how they hurt Elin and the children. Any woman who knowingly goes into an affair with an married man deserves nothing...period.They weren't chained and dragged into Tiger's arms, they went willingly with $$$$ in their eyes. All of these women should be apologizing to Elin. How dare they ask for an apology from Tiger! They knew what they were doing! Well, cry me a river home-wreckers! They have all had more than l5 minutes of fame and attention. They don't even deserve 30 seconds in my opinion.
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I think Tiger did a very good job today. I was glad he didn't apologize to the femal scumbags. I was glad his wife didn't allow her self to be paraded. I was glad he said he is going back to rehab & that he didn't annouce a date to return to golf. I think he appeared tight when he mentioned his wife becuase that is what hurts the most. I think he was trying to protect them & be careful. He did a good job. I hope he & Elin work this out for the sake of thier family!
Many men cheat, but do they really owe the public an explanation and apology, even if they are a celebrity, such as Tiger Woods? His handlers successfully humbled him with the "14 minutes of fame" speech, but my answer is "no." The only person he "cheated" on was his wife, Elin, who I applaud by her reactions as a pro-active role model for all scorned wives. As a former Hollywood Madam and Scandinavian wife of yet another handsome, charming, African-American "cheating" celebrity named Woods (pop star Stevie Woods) this situation for me is just deja' vu. -Cheri Woods Author, Death Row Madam: Exposing sex and drugs in the Entertainment Industry
A lot of people work hard all of their lives but still don't feel entitled to cheat. There is absolutely no excuse for his behavior.
Sorry. I meant to say he did not memorize most of his speech.