Simon Lewis, New York
I HAVE serious doubts about grown men who choose to wear sports jerseys with the names of their usually much younger idols splashed across their shoulder blades.
I mean, what's the deal with a 30-something bloke in a Chelsea shirt parading his devotion to 'Drogba'?
Aside from the fact that the surly soccer professional barely has enough devotion to the cause to pull on the very same shirt over his own head, what purpose is it serving by aligning oneself to anyone other than the badge on the front?
Imagine my surprise then, when yesterday at Bethpage State Park on New York's Long Island as I shuffled along in the flow of pedestrian traffic amidst a surprisingly large crowd, I spotted a man through the crowd in front of me with “Tiger Woods” spelled out across the back of his shirt.
Ye gods, I thought to myself, has the world gone stark raving mad? Has the hallowed game of golf sunk so low as this, that admiring 14 major victories for a still active player is not enough to express one's feelings of awe for the individual?
Yes, I concluded all too swiftly, contemplating the impending hullabaloo we're set for when Phil Mickelson graces this course once again later in the week, it probably has.
Like a rubber-necking motorist straining to see a car wreck on the other side of the motorway, I became intent on seeing this monstrous act of fan worship at closer hand.
The wearer, as he came more into focus, was clearly middle aged and had obviously taken leave of his senses. Just two more rows of people to negotiate and I would have my moment of condescending satisfaction. Now one, and then, bingo, up close and as impersonal as I could manage, I was confronted by the object of my twisted fascination.
And promptly forced to do with my thoughts whatever is the equivalent of swallowing my words.
For there in all its spledour was the message in full: “Tiger Woods of Building Supplies”.
And there, in an instant, my disdain turned to admiration. At once, blind, misplaced and ill conceived devotion to the world number one became a clever boast of the fella's obvious prowess in the world of roof tiles, power tools and lumber. And what's morel all too cleverly, it acknowledged his respect for the special talent possessed by the aforementioned golfer.
A year on from that dramatic, awe-inspiring US Open play-off victory on one leg at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods is back in business and ready to confirm for once and for all that he is still the dominant golfer he was before his reconstructive knee surgery.
And I needed to read the back of some fella's T-shirt to realise it.
