Amid the clamor of hundreds of crisis and reputation management experts weighing-in on what Tiger Woods should be saying and doing to rescue his lucrative product endorsement career, (Come on. What’s ten or twenty million dollars?)  there was the very real reputational issue facing local police and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) tasked with investigating the incident. Yes, they certainly were facing issues that if they didn’t handle just right would have caused them considerable damage. First, it wasn’t just another routine accident investigation. Sure, average citizens crash their cars right outside their homes at 2:30 am every night in this country. But average citizens haven’t earned close to a billion dollars playing golf and pitching products. Throw in rumors of infidelity and an upset wife wielding a golf club in the driveway and you have a potential domestic violence situation. Many in the sports news business stated that the police had no business going to Tiger Wood’s house three times to get a statement. All that happened was a single car accident involving no alcohol – leave the poor guy and his wife alone. Fortunately someone at the FHP didn’t listen to Tiger’s many fans. In the crisis business we get paid to think of all the bad things that can happen. Let’s imagine what could have or still happen: At some point after the accident another incident occurs at the Wood’s residence that results in injuries to a family member. Imagine the outcry and claims that Tiger Woods received special treatment. At least the FHP can state that they attempted to investigate and  “ there were no claims of domestic violence and no reason to issue a subpoena for medical evidence.”  Contrast that to the criticism the Los Angeles Police Department received for allegedly giving O.J. Simpson a “free pass” after a number of domestic abuse complaints. I’ll take having a door closed in my face three times just to play it safe and hold on to my reputation.

- Ernest