The Loop

The man in the No. 24 car talks Tiger

October 05, 2009

So maybe Jeff Gordon can explain the FedEx Cup points system to us, since the FedEx Cup was patterned in a way after the NASCAR Chase.

At any rate, Gordon, in a news conference at Kansas Speedway over the weekend, was asked about Tiger Woods after Forbes magazine reported that he is the first from sports to exceed $1 billion in earnings. Gordon's reply, in part:

"There are certain people who come along in the world who change the way you look at that industry. I don't like to watch golf if Tiger's not playing. That is why he has been able to do what he's done. He makes far more money in endorsements than he does actually playing golf...Michael Jordan was the same way. There are certain individuals who change how you perceive the sport, how you follow it, and they have a following beyond just that game of golf...I really think he's done an excellent job in how he's handled himself, the things that he's associated himself with, and it's still unfathomable that he has made the impact that he's made from a financial standpoint. But obviously it works.

"Another thing that is so huge about Tiger and golf is its world wide. They might play golf somewhere on another planet. If they did, they'd want to play with Tiger. He's just that one rare guy that's come along and has lived up to the expectations or exceeded them. He's very marketable and has obviously surrounded himself with some very smart people to help him make good decisions."

-- John Strege