Coffee Chat with Matt

      That’s right boys and girls, the moment you have all being waiting for. In case, you do not know I am the other half of the Cogdill Crew. My wife Alyssa has been blogging about the interesting and not so interesting details of our life for the past 6 months or so. Ever since she started, there have been rumblings through cyberspace that the always opinioned husband should make at least some type of appearance and through multiple requests, I have given in (this one is for you Joya!). So here I am, a person in most aspects technologically challenged and downright scared of anything you plug in…writing a blog…on a computer. I mean I am not even on Face book…it’s ok I will wait while you collect yourself.
      I will first say that I marvel at everyone who writes these things. You are completely being vulnerable to the people who read it. How about if you write about something really amazing that happens to you and no one comments. That is the sort of thing that makes you want to go eat your lunch in a bathroom stall alone. With fear completely set in on what to write, I have decided to take a topic that is close to the heart for many reasons but mainly because I love golf and everything associated with it.
      Obviously, if you did not know who Tiger Woods was before November 27th, odds are that you do now…and probably not for a good reason. I first want to preface what I have to say with that fact that I was disgusted with what he did. Being a HUGE Tiger fan, I felt almost personally offended when all the rumors came pouring out. Being married now for two awesome years, I cannot think of a more selfish and hurtful thing to do than something like that to your wife. With that said, I think it is time to put the Tiger bashing aside. Over the past 5 months the deepest and darkest secrets of a man who is intensely private have been thrown out into the public for a feeding frenzy a la some piranha mealtime in the Amazon. Tiger might deserve everything he has gotten, but enough is enough. See, there are mainly three camps. There is the Tiger camp who genuinely wants to see his life restored and play great golf because he is the greatest golfer to walk the planet. There is the, for lack if a better term, Phil Mickelson camp who is loving this. They sit quietly by and say, “See, I told you Phil is a better person than Tiger.” And finally, there is the cold heartless post modernistic golf fan who says, “I don’t care what you do in your bedroom, just win baby!” I am here to try to convince you Tiger does not owe us anything anymore.
     After two months of inpatient therapy, public apology, several interviews, and many more to come, Tiger has said he is sorry. He has apologized to his family, friends, fans, sponsors, and fellow players. Even though I am a huge fan, that is where Tiger and I stop, I am just a fan. The real work goes on off cameras, with his wife, kids, mother, and friends. Those are the ones that should demand a change. For us, the regular Joes, we should be praying for Tiger that he gets all this junk figured out. Tiger being on top is the best for not only golf but for the millions of lives that he impacts through his Foundation, charities, and events. I will say this; I am bummed, to say the least, that Tiger has “embraced” his Buddhist beliefs again. There is not a single faith that preaches the unbelievable gift of grace like that of Christianity. Grace is exactly what Tiger needs. So, the next time you get ready to slam Mr. Woods, throw up a prayer for him instead. You never know what the Lord can do!

"for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God"

Romans 3:23