I had an interesting debate the other night about this Tiger Woods situation, where the person I was talking to suggested that what’s happening is none of the public’s business.

In theory, perhaps, but when you are the most famous athlete in the world, the rules tend to change a bit. And as the story has spiraled out of control, it’s Woods himself who has helped create unnecessary drama through his reticence to address the situation.

This is also an interesting look at how the media must operate in today’s new world – Tiger went from sympathetic accident victim to subject of salacious scenarios in about an hour once people started putting 2+2 together.

And yes, it is well within Tiger’s rights to not speak to the police about the accident, but he must be willing to face the reality that his image will be irrevocably damaged by what’s been left unsaid and what is floating around in cyberspace.

But now, a man who has painfully created the most vanilla image possible – seriously, you could write his interviews in advance – has to deal with rumors of affairs with pouty-lipped vixens, prescription drug overuse and a scorned, vengeful wife. Not good at all.

Even if it turns out that Tiger didn’t have an affair and that he’s just a really awful driver, he still went about handling the situation all wrong. Posting a generic message on your website isn’t going to do it when you’ve crossed into TMZ territory.

It continues to prove my theory that NO athlete should ever get married until they are finished with their playing career – there are too many temptations for even a seemingly straight-arrow like Tiger.

Woods is fortunate that golf is in its silly season, and he can hide out from the prying eyes of the media for several months in the hopes that the story will blow over. Surely it will, but unless Tiger opens up in the near future, the days of universal adulation may be over.