Leisure … more than a word, it's a lifestyle

Sometimes in life something happens that really gets under your skin. This happened to me over the last week when some hack called David Whitley at the Orlando Slantinel went over the top in accusing Tiger Woods of being the most selfish athlete on the planet.

Here’s what Whitley had to say in his article on June 19 after Tiger had secured a remarkable U.S. Open win: “In case there is still any doubt, Tiger Woods just proved he is the most spectacular, determined, stoic and admirable athlete on the planet. He may also be the most selfish. But not in the sense that he hoards fame and money and gazes in the mirror all day. All high achievers must focus on themselves and how to succeed. It’s just that Tiger was so bent on winning the U.S. Open that he discounted the consequences. Not just for himself, but for his sport. He is the sport. And now he’s not.”

It’s hard to beat that for claptrap but there it was… in black and white. Well Mr. Whitley, I have news for you; 1) Tiger Woods is not the sport and 2) what he did showed the whole world how to overcome adversity. Not to run away from challenges and not to allow something like this to detract from what you really want in life.

Sure, Tiger could have taken the easy way out. He might even have contrived to miss that putt on Sunday night to save himself from the play off but winners simply don’t do that. The lessons that Tiger handed out over the weekend and on Monday 16th June were there for all to see… life sometimes throws you a curve ball but its how you handle adversity that really matters.

The other lesson Tiger handed out is that only you can be true to yourself and do what you want to do. Whitley prattles on “What if he’d done permanent damage to the knee, the kind that will curtail his career?” … as if Tiger now has to answer to cretins like this about what he does with his life and his career.

So, the footnote is that Tiger yesterday had his reconstructive surgery and that Dr. Thomas D. Rosenberg and Dr. Vernon J. Cooley are ‘pleased with the results’. Tiger seems happy as well and is looking forward to working through the rehabilitation and training.

Yes, he’s going to be away for a while… but in doing so golf will carry on as it did before Tiger. Many people will still enjoy their golf and the game will continue to flourish… OK, so the media have lost an icon for a short while and dare I suggest that maybe it’s people like Whitley who are actually the selfish ones… after all they’ll now have to work for their living and find stories about other golfers instead. Hard times indeed.

ORLANDO, Fla. — A giant London Eye-like observation wheel is coming to Orlando.

The 400-foot wheel will fit about 40 people into each capsule on the wheel and offer a bird’s-eye view of the City Beautiful, plus on a clear day a view of 25 miles of the surrounding area.

Official with the Singapore company Great Wheel Corp. are expected to be in Orlando next week to announce details of the attraction. Similar high-tech wheels are already in Dubai, Singapore, Beijing and Berlin. Orlando would be the first North American site for the Great Wheel Corp. Sketches of the project show enclosed glass capsules offering a Ferris wheel-like sightseeing attraction. Details of its exact location are also expected to be released next week, but we have heard that it will be constructed either on the tourist-filled International Drive area between the convention center and SeaWorld on the old site of Race Rock … or failing that at the junction of I-Drive and Westwood. The Great Wheel Corporation plans to start construction next Wednesday. The London Eye (500ft) is one of the tallest structures in Europe and it welcomes an average of 3.5 million customers each year, according to its Web site. Before the Orlando attraction, the Pepsi company announced it planned to create America’s largest Ferris wheel in New Jersey. The attraction would be 287-feet tall, according to a Business Wire report.  This will be now dwarved by Orlando’s 400 footer. Currently, the largest observation wheel in the world is the Singapore Flyer. Florida companies are expected to be working on the project.  Cost of the project is approx $200 million.  I don’t know who is footing that bill, but it is an amazing amount of money available in the current economy … money I am sure could be out better use … just my opinion though.

Orlando and Las Vegas have long had a “love / hate” relationship and it seems the battle has been stepped up with Orlando taking their new ad campaign to the ‘enemies’ doorstep!

Recently the Travel Industry Association went to Vegas and it seems that Orlando couldn’t resist have a bit of fun by placing the billboard (seen above) near to McCarran airport.

So now we know… “What Happens In Orlando, Stays With You Forever”.